The 2026 Wasp Count yielded surprising results: the Asian hornet ranked eighth in the top 10,…

The 2026 Wasp Count yielded surprising results: the Asian hornet ranked eighth in the top 10, while the honey bee took third place. However, beekeeper Lydia Kolk warns that this does not mean the Asian hornet is not a problem.

According to Kolk, the number of Asian hornets is increasing, and beekeepers notice this daily. On sunny days, they fly around the hives and catch a bee every fifteen minutes, which can amount to about 300 bees killed per day.

Kolk advocates for municipalities to eliminate hornet nests. She herself uses selective traps with a funnel-shaped entrance that hold Asian hornets while allowing smaller insects to escape. Although she catches insects this way, it is not enough to fully protect her bees.