Asian Hornet

We were excited to see a small nest appear outside in our garden. Last week we thought it had been broken down and abandoned but to our surprise yesterday it has been restored. The amount of work this creature was putting in to repair it is amazing. However - having taken some photos and done some Googling we now find our little visitor may be the notorious Asian Hornet and so sadly need to take drastic action against this little hard working creature.


The nest is the size of a small orange and easy to reach but what should we do? DIY or call a specialist?

Paul & Cathie

These are very dangerous ... to bees and some humans.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3048312/Killer-hornets-making-beeline-UK-Fears-two-inch-long-insects-left-six-dead-France-travel-Britain.html
I think each French department has a list of licensed destroyers of these hornets. I would contact your Mairie asap.
There is some really useful information on this site and how to make a home made trap for smaller nests. http://www.planetepassion.eu/wildlife-in-france/asian-hornet_vespa-velutina-nigrithorax_frelon%20asiatique_france.html
Good luck.

After getting a quote for 220 Euros I decided to get a 15 Euro spray can and did it myself after dark last night. A bit sad really to destroy the incredible little creature after all the skill and effort put it to rebuilding it's nest. Not to mention the laying and tendering of more than a dozen little wasp eggs.

I agree, I hate destroying any living creature, but you have done the best thing.

If its asian hornets yes not good .but unless they are near the house i would not kill them live and let live ,the french freelons differant ive had them sharing or trying to my gin and tonic [hubby not amused ]shook him out [the freelon not hubby]he took 20 minutes cleaning himself off and then flew off [the freelon not hubby ]never found them agressive zoom around but as long as you dont flap at them they seem ok ,nested in the chimney of our house ,only 2 young and then away no prob .

If you find an Asian hornet nest, you are obliged to inform your mairie, as the numbers are being monitored.

If you destroy the nest yourself, you best burn it in the evening after dusk. Asian hornets can kill thousands of bees at the time, so they need to be destroyed. However, pesticides are also to blame for the massive bee deaths, so to be avoided at all costs. Do not disturb an active nest: hornets can be extremely aggressive and if stung several times, it can be deadly for humans.

To help combat the increase in Asian hornets, you can make traps from cut open plastic bottles with the top reversed and stuck down again. You put a mixture of beer, white wine and sirop in the traps. That way bees will not be attracted by the traps. You hang the traps in the garden.

Totally agree Myriam.

We understand that France in not a suitable place for Asian Hornets. They have no natural predictors here and feast on honey bees - which presently have serious difficulties with other survival problems - so as keen honey eaters we reluctantly disposed of our busy little non-aggressive visitor.

Paul & Cathie

Pesticides ,acording to the latest french tv news is the main killer of bees ,and cetain ones are to be removed from the market !!so be very carefull what you keen gardeners are useing ,at the moment my garden is full of every type of bee you can imagine big black carpenter bees ,about 2 inches long to the humming bird bee ,and the very small ones that are so noisy,i use no chemicals at all lots of herbs and wild flowers

Good for you, Red! We don't use any herbacides or pesticides neither.

Although the evidence is clear that they are very harmful for pollinators and humans alike, Roundup is still being sold and is now found in drinking water and in mother's milk. The agro-chemical companies, like Monsanto and Dow are poisoning the earth and we, the people, should stop them before it's too late. http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/

Agree about MONSANTO Myriam ,a very bad company but they are so rich they buy everybody off and allways win in the court cases .