While some municipalities encourage trapping the Asian hornet this autumn, the Walloon Public…

While some municipalities encourage trapping the Asian hornet this autumn, the Walloon Public Service (SPW) warns that this practice harms biodiversity. Étienne Branquart, an expert on invasive exotic species at SPW, explains that these initiatives are based on a misconception.

Targeted trapping in spring remains useful to catch founding queens, but in autumn it is ineffective because most hornets seen then are workers who will die before winter and will not build new nests. Therefore, trapping at this time does not affect future populations.