The Asian hornet appeared for the first time in Upper Austria last spring. Because it poses a danger to local honey bees and also to humans, the state of Upper Austria is preparing for the warmer season and planning measures against the invasive giant insect.
While local bees are still resting in their winter homes, politicians are already thinking about how to protect the hard-working animals as they become active once the weather warms up. Because then there is a good chance that the Asian hornet will cause mischief again – as was confirmed for the first time in Upper Austria last spring.
Threat to bee populations
The “Vespa velutina” poses a serious threat to bee populations, says Agriculture Minister Michaela Langer-Weninger (ÖVP). It preys on honeybees and can drastically reduce their population within a short period of time. Within a year, the Vespa-Velutina colonies can house up to 10,000 individuals, with up to 300 young queens found new colonies in the following year.
Danger for allergy sufferers
It is also dangerous for humans: the hornet is generally not aggressive. However, their stings can cause serious reactions in people with allergies. According to the regional councilor, reports from Southern Europe show that the number of stings increases during, for example, the fruit and wine harvest and that these sometimes cause anaphylactic shocks.
“Keep an eye on the situation”
The state of Upper Austria therefore supports the purchase of protective suits for beekeepers through the State Beekeeping Association. To discuss further strategies against the Asian hornet, a ‘dialogue forum’ with experts, emergency organizations, beekeepers and state representatives is planned. Langer-Weninger: “Upper Austria has been taking proactive measures since last year to intensively prepare for the prevention of this invasive species. The first steps have been taken and their progress will be discussed at this year’s dialogue forum. In any case, we are closely monitoring the situation.”
Source: Krone

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