Breeders can breathe a sigh of relief: The Asian queen bee was a queen without an entourage

Asian hornet can breathe a sigh of relief: The Asian hornet queen was found alone

Research suggests that there are no more Asian hornet queens. However, both biologists and beekeepers remain concerned.

The first Asian hornet queen in Denmark was found to be a solitary queen searching for a mate in Kerteminde. (Photo: © Jean-FRancois Monier, Scanpix Denmark)

By

Lisa Scheper Thunø ([email protected]) 9 minutes ago

In June, an example of the invasive wasp species 'Asian hornet' was found in Kerteminde. Since then, the area has been closely monitored with wasp traps from the Danish Beekeepers' Association, to try to eliminate any potential colony.

The Asian hornet eats both honeybees and other insects, and also captures bees in front of hives, so bees cannot fly out.

However, after a month of research, there is finally good news for Danish beekeepers. Nothing suggests that there are more Asian hornet species in the area.

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> We should not relax just yet

> Ole Kilpinen, Biologist and Consultant at the Danish Beekeepers' Association

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Lone swallow

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The captured hornet was found to be a queen, and that is good news for the eastern Funen beekeeper and chairman of the Eastern Funen Beekeepers' Association, Joachim Bentzen.

- That means she was looking for some males to mate with, so she does not cause any damage.

However, Joachim Bentzen, who is responsible for 60,000-80,000 bees and lives near the discovery site, is still cautious about breathing a sigh of relief.

- When there is one, it is just a matter of time before there are more.

Beekeepers and chairman of the Eastern Funen Beekeepers' Association Joachim Bentzen still keep a close eye on their many hives, in case the Asian hornet returns. (Photo: © Ida Grøndahl Westh)

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Ravage in Europe

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Another who shares the beekeeper's skepticism is biologist and consultant for the Danish Beekeepers' Association, Ole Kilpinen.

Because we see our northern European neighbors, where the Asian hornet has already made its presence known, there is good reason for concern.

- They are a problem for nature in general, because they eat a lot of different insects, and we don't want that.

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> They fly out, mate with some males, settle down and build a nest next spring. So we have them within a few years.

> Joachim Bentzen, beekeeper and chairman of the Eastern Funen Beekeepers' Association

The Asian hornet originates from a warmer climate in Asia. Therefore, there has been doubt about whether the slightly cooler Danish winter is enough to keep the hornet under warmer skies.

However, its spread in Hamburg has made the Danish presence of the wasp concerningly realistic.

- We have seen that it has spread quite a bit in both England and in the Netherlands, and climates that are similar to ours. But we don't want to test it, so we try to intervene as quickly as possible.

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Concerned reports

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So far, the Danish Beekeepers' Association has received several reports from concerned beekeepers who believe they have seen the foreign hornet. However, none have been confirmed as the Asian hornet.

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What to do if you see an Asian hornet

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• Report the finding to the Danish Nature Agency via www.arter.dk

• Contact the Danish Beekeepers' Association at [email protected]

• If possible, attach a picture or video of the observation

Source: Danish Beekeepers' Association

However, the call from the Danish Beekeepers' Association still seems to be on the lookout for a three centimeter long, almost black wasp.

- Mostly it looks like insects that belong to it. But you have to catch 99 to catch one that might be something, says Ole Kilpinen.

In Kerteminde, beekeeper Joachim Bentzen will also keep a close eye on his hives and prepare for the worst.

- It is at least tiring. So we have to take our precautions, find out where the nest is, and get them eliminated.

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