Horror wasp is a description that makes forest ranger Frans Kapteijns turn his stomach. It is actually about the Asian hornet, a foreigner in Dutch wildlife that eats bee colonies. Horrific for the honeybees and miserable for the beekeeper. But horror? No, Kapteijns really goes too far.
First of all about the hearer in question. It probably came over from the east by sea container or airport suitcase. The insect was first seen in France a few years ago. Due to climate change and thus higher temperatures in the Netherlands, the Asian hornet has now settled almost everywhere in the Netherlands.
Honeybees defend themselves against European hornets by crawling on them en masse. This causes the hornet’s temperature to rise to such an extent that it collapses. They have not yet learned how to defend themselves against the exotic from Asia. Until then, beekeepers have to watch helplessly as Asian hornets eat an entire hive empty.
“Animals are troublesome or not troublesome, that’s all.”
“Horror and terror are terms that we stick to fantasy films and ghost stories. They are human descriptions that do not belong to animals. They do not do terrible things. They are difficult or not difficult, nothing more,” says Frans Kapteijns.
According to him, ‘horror and terror’ is posted everywhere. “We already have a terror owl, a horror buzzard and so on. That doesn’t suit animals, they just do their thing.”
The endangered honey bees will automatically find a solution to ward off the Asian hornet, Kapteijns expects. “That will take a while. Until then it is of course terrible for a beekeeper.”
The beekeepers can protect themselves somewhat by setting traps. And there is the possibility to report the presence of the Asian hornet, after which they are cleaned up by professionals.
“We don’t understand wild animals, so don’t name them.”
Not only the name horror wasp hurts Kapteijns. “Calling large wild animals Piet, Karel or Jantje is also not correct. If you are going to do that, it seems as if an animal can be understood by a human being. But we don’t understand the wild animals, so you shouldn’t name them either. to give.”
According to the forest ranger, this is different with pets. “If you let them go and stop caring for them, they will die. They can no longer survive in the wild. An Asian hornet will never become a pet. So don’t give it a name.”
Frans Kapteijns discusses problems with the Asian hornet in his latest podcast. Click below to listen to it.
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