The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is now established in North Rhine-Westphalia, as confirmed…

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is now established in North Rhine-Westphalia, as confirmed by photos of nests. Its numbers have been increasing in Germany for years, prompting NABU to request photo reports of sightings.

This invasive species continues to spread north and east, according to preliminary results from a nationwide NABU reporting campaign. Citizens can report sightings with photos until late autumn. First detected in Germany in 2014, it is mainly found in the west and south. Recently, the first specimen was recorded in Brandenburg. In NRW, the distribution is widespread, especially in the Rhineland and Ruhr area, including cities like Duisburg, Essen, Bochum, Dortmund, and Cologne.