An Asian hornet was recently found in Hooghalen, the Stop Invasive Exotics platform reports. As far as is known, Hooghalen is the second place in Drenthe where this so-called ‘monster wasp’ has been seen. In 2021, the hornet was also found in Meppel.
The copy was found in Hooghalen on May 21, according to a report on the website Waarneming.nl. It is about a queen who was building a nest.
The Asian hornet is an ‘invasive exotic’. Originally it is found in southeastern Asia. Experts fear that it is very harmful to native bees here.
The first specimen was found in Zeeland in 2017. Since then he has been advancing further and further to the north of the country. The monster wasp has not yet been spotted in Friesland and Groningen.
“In order to prevent this harmful invasive exotic from spreading even further in the Netherlands, it is important that the nests are quickly traced and destroyed. Citizens play an essential role in this, because without observations the provinces, which are responsible for the approach, cannot , do not take action,” says Wilfred Reinhold, chairman of the Stop Invasive Exotics platform.