Reports of the Asian hornet in Germany are increasing during summer

Reports of the Asian hornet in Germany are increasing during summer. In 2025, over 7,300 sightings were reported, up from about 1,400 in 2024 and only nine in 2022. The species is expanding geographically, with the first specimen found in Brandenburg, previously mainly in western and southern Germany. Thomas Beissel from the German Professional and Commercial Beekeepers Association NRW estimates 6,000 to 7,000 reported nests in NRW this year, a conservative figure.

The Asian hornet poses a threat to bees, bumblebees, and wild bees, which are its main prey. With few natural enemies and larger colonies than the European hornet, it reproduces and spreads rapidly.