During the first three weeks of July, 362 Asian hornet nests were identified and destroyed according to Flemish Bee Institute figures. The Asian hornet, a member of the wasp family, is on the rise in Flanders and poses a threat to native honey bees. This year, over 2,800 queens and nests were reported compared to 1,400 in the whole of last year. "And this may still be a big underestimate," says Kevin Verbeek of the Asian hornet expertise centre.
It was predicted and the figures appear to confirm it now: the number of Asian hornets in Flanders has once again increased sharply.
"So far, 2,400 queens have been captured. Add to that the 360 nests during the first three weeks of July alone, and you see figures double those of the whole of last year," says Kevin Verbeek, coordinator of the Asian hornet expertise centre at the Flemish Bee Institute.
Admittedly, the figures do not give a complete picture. "That's one of the problems," says Verbeek. "There is no central platform to report Asian hornets."
"Nests can be reported through the Flemish hotline Vespa-Watch, but there is no longer any central management of reports of individual hornets."
"We also know that many people do not report seeing an Asian hornet. Even pest control experts and firefighters don't always report eradicating nests. So the figures are a very big underestimate."
According to Verbeek, most Asian hornet nests are usually only discovered in the autumn. "The season has actually yet to start," he says.
"Many hornets make a large second nest in the summer, often high up in trees. It is only in autumn, when the leaves fall from the trees, that people spot nests like these. Last year, most nests were found between mid-October and late November. So the worst is yet to come."
"More government support needed"
Experts have long urged the Flemish government to change their approach and provide more financial support for the control of the Asian hornet.
"The management of invasive species is the responsibility of the Flemish government. Surely it is unacceptable that in many municipalities you yourself, as a citizen, have to pay the costs of having a nest removed," Verbeek says.
"If such a large nest is hanging in a tall tree in your garden, it usually doesn't bother you. If you do want to have it removed, it will easily cost 150 to 200 euros. So many people will not want to pay that. Nevertheless, it is important to eradicate these nests."
"From each nest that remains, 5 to 10 new nests can emerge the following year. An average nest will eat 10 to 12 kilograms of insects a year. So the impact on nature is huge and the problem continues to grow. The Flemish government urgently needs to do more."