Asian hornet could soon appear in Saxony too

According to experts, the Asian hornet could appear in Saxony at any time. "It's only a matter of time before it becomes established here," says insect expert Matthias Nuß from the nature conservation organization Nabu in Saxony. He would be surprised if there was a factor preventing it from spreading eastwards.

According to the State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology, the spread is currently taking place mainly in Hesse and Lower Saxony, but also to the east. An occurrence of the species in Saxony can therefore not be ruled out. "It is also always possible that individual animals are transported unnoticed over longer distances."

Photo from near Zwickau

According to the state office, there has been no confirmed evidence of the animal in the state to date. Nuß reports a photo from near Zwickau that clearly shows an Asian hornet. It was posted online on an insect platform, but was later deleted.

Every week, the state office receives several reports of alleged Asian hornets. However, the animals often turn out to be native hornets or wasp species such as the bristly dagger wasp.

Keep your distance from nests

Asian hornets generally behave defensively, according to the state office. However, if their nest is endangered, they can show strong defensive behavior. You should therefore always keep a distance of five meters from nests. However, the hornet can become a problem for honey bee colonies as it hunts the bees. Possible feeding damage in vineyards and orchards is also considered problematic.