The invasive Asian hornet species poses a problem to various ecosystems across the country, as well as to bee keepers. To combat their spread, Wallonia will step up efforts in 2024, announced the Regional Minister of Agriculture Willy Borsus on Tuesday.
The management plan, introduced in 2023 with a funding of €267,000, pays to trap the queen hornets in the spring, protect beehives, and neutralise nests across the region.
“Last year, despite technical delays in acquiring the necessary equipment, about 200 nests were neutralised within a month,” clarified Borsus.
The plan successfully distributed protective equipment, including poles and suits, through the Union of Beekeeping Federations of Wallonia and Brussels (UFAWB) to 18 beekeeping sectors.
In 2023, the strategy ended with the distribution of 4,000 kits for trapping queen hornets in the spring by the Walloon Centre for Agronomic Research (CRA-W).
The preservation of our beekeeping sector is critical for the pollination of many crops and for biodiversity in Wallonia,” noted Willy Borsus. He concluded, “Neutralising Asian hornets is a necessary measure to preserve the beekeeping sector. We must continue our efforts.”
