Home / Environment / Beekeepers Wage High-Tech War Against Invasive Asian Hornets
Beekeepers Wage High-Tech War Against Invasive Asian Hornets
16 Nov
Summary
- Beekeepers use thermal imaging and transmitters to track and destroy Asian hornet nests
- Asian hornet numbers have surged in Alsace, France, decimating local bee populations
- Nest-hunting has become a critical part of beekeepers' jobs to protect their hives
In Alsace, France, beekeepers are engaged in a high-tech battle against the invasive Asian hornet, a predatory insect that has seen a dramatic increase in numbers over the past two years. Armed with thermal-imaging binoculars and transmitters, these apiarists are taking a forensic approach to tracking down and destroying the hornets' nests.
The Asian hornet first arrived in France in 2004 and has since become firmly entrenched in the Haut-Rhin region, where the number of reported nests has skyrocketed from 15-20 in 2023 to an estimated 400 this year. This surge has had a devastating impact on local bee populations, with many hives attacked or decimated.
