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Catching Asian hornets

It is important to note that trapping Asian hornets may be necessary in certain situations to protect bees, biodiversity and human safety. However, it is essential to do this responsibly and follow local regulations.

 

On this page you will find the answers to the questions about effective and selective catching

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Catching Asian Hornets: Let's Protect our Bees and our Environment

Asian hornets, such as the Vespa velutina, have infiltrated many regions, threatening our valuable bees and disrupting the balance of our ecosystems. To reduce their impact, targeted trapping of Asian hornets has become necessary.

Why Catch Asian Hornets?

Asian hornets are formidable predators of bees. The goal of trapping is to reduce their impact on honey bee colonies and pollinating insect populations, while preserving our biodiversity.

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How to Catch Asian Hornets?

  1. Use specific traps designed for Asian hornets. You can find these in beekeeping stores.

  2. Place the traps near beehives and risk areas.

  3. An effective bait can consist of 1/3 white wine, 1/3 beer and 1/3 grenadine syrup. The alcohol will deter other insects while attracting the hornets.

  4. Make sure you follow local regulations regarding the capture of Asian hornets.

A fall yes, but not just any fall!

Catching Asian hornets must be done intelligently. Knowing theAsian hornet means that you can fight it effectively. Here are some rules to follow for effective and selective trapping. We can never say it enough: a trap that catches all insects is not a good trap, we do not want to reduce the insect population, but only the Asian hornet.

Description of a Selective Trap for Asian Hornets

Targeted design

Selective traps are made with special designs to attract Asian hornets. The attractants used have been specifically chosen to make this species particularly attractive, while other insects are less likely to be attracted.

Reduction of non-targeted catches

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Selective traps are designed to minimize accidental catches of bees, wasps and other pollinating insects. This contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of beneficial insects

Strategic placement

The traps are placed near beehives and risk areas where Asian hornets are active. This makes it possible to specifically target these pest insects and limit the impact on other insects.

Compliance with local regulations

When using selective traps, it is important to follow local regulations regarding the capture of Asian hornets

Design of a selective trap for Asian hornets,the main points :

  • No direct access to the bait:

 

The traps consist of a tray for the bait and a tray for the entrance to the trap. The bait box is covered with fine mesh that prevents trapped insects from getting to the bait. This has several advantages:

  1. the bait remains untouched.

  2. Asian hornets become exhausted very quickly and die within 48 hours.

  3. Other insects don't drown in the bait before they can get out

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  • The access modules of the fall:

 

They should definitely let in Asian hornets, but not European hornets. With a transparent design and perforated holes that allow insects smaller than the Asian hornet to pass through. These other small insects that have gone in can come out again, attracted by the light.

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  • The walls of the trap:

 

As mentioned earlier, the access modules of the trap are transparent and perforated, so the walls must be opaque so that the small insects are attracted to the transparent access modules and can get out again. The opaque walls are also more resistant to UV radiation

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Traps that you should absolutely avoid

One type of trap that is not recommended is an open liquid trap. These are traps that are usually made from a plastic bottle, but many commercial wasp traps also use the same principle. The problem with these traps is that any insect caught will drown. Every insect has its use, so we cannot want to cause additional damage to biodiversity.

The ideal trap.

We do not yet sell this trap, but you can order it via the link below. It is a French company, with almost 20 years of experience with the Asian hornet on French territory.

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What should I do if I see an Asian hornet?

Give it upperception.nl, using the applicationObsIdentify. A research group searches for the nest to destroy it

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