Beekeepers in Poitou are facing challenges this autumn as hornets continue to threaten hives…

Beekeepers in Poitou are facing challenges this autumn as hornets continue to threaten hives weakened by heatwaves. Despite summer's end, the Asian hornet population remains high, causing significant damage. Aurélie Roumet, who manages the Petit Port apiary in Persac, Vienne, reports that hornets are particularly aggressive near forested areas, often hovering at hive entrances and capturing bees mid-flight for food. She notes that there are "tens of thousands" of hornets in the area, making trapping efforts seem futile. To combat this, she emphasizes the importance of targeting hornet queens in early spring before worker hornets emerge.