Poland eliminates its first Asian hornet nest — Notes from Poland

In the village of Wielka Wieś near Kraków, Poland eliminated the first confirmed nest in the country of Asian hornets, an invasive species that preys on honeybees. The nest was discovered in a tree in mid-October, while individual insects were also spotted at the apiary of the AGH University of Krakow. This was reported by Notes from Poland.

About a thousand workers found in the nest

The nest was removed and handed over to researchers at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences for study. Paweł Migdał, a representative of the Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, said that the colony was fairly large for Poland's climate: it contained approximately 1,000 workers, several dozen queens and males.

The study also found eggs and larvae in the nest, indicating that the hornets were continuing to feed. According to Migdał's assessment, other nests may be found in Poland next year. He noted that they are often built in the tops of trees, which is why they become visible only after the leaves fall in autumn.

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Risk to apiaries

Young queens have already left the colony to overwinter and establish new nests. Their chances of survival increase with a longer and warmer autumn; for overwintering, they seek warm and dry places, including underground or in storage facilities.

Asian hornets, also known as yellow-legged hornets, are smaller than European hornets: queens reach around 30 mm in length, while males measure approximately 24 mm. They are no more dangerous to people than European hornets or wasps, but they pose a threat to beekeeping. In addition to hunting bees, their presence can cause bees in apiaries to stop working.

According to Migdał, one nest of this species produces an average of about 150 young queens, and sometimes up to 500, whereas the European hornet produces about 50. The nearest previously known Asian hornet nest was located in Opava, Czechia, approximately 150 km from Wielka Wieś. The scientist suggested that the insects may have been transported by vehicle, but did not rule out the presence of other populations between these locations.