Firefighters in Pilsen have removed an eight-kilogramme Asian hornet nest in what is the first appearance of the invasive species in the Czech Republic.
The nest was discovered by residents of the Skvrňany neighbourhood. They informed the Federal Nature and Landscape Protection Agency (AOPK CR), according to a spokesman for the organisation.
Firefighters were deployed to remove and destroy the nest weighing eight kilogrammes (17.6 lbs). It has not been reported where the insects had established their nest. Asian hornet nests can occur in trees and on buildings.
It has been the first-ever confirmed appearance of the predatory insect in the country. The emergence follows news about Asian hornet sightings in Hungary and Germany. The Czech Republic shares a border with both countries.
Asian hornets, which have been spreading in Europe since emerging on the continent for the first time in 2004, kill and eat other insects. Western honeybees are helpless in case of an attack as they do not possess any defence skills.
Matthias Roth, who heads the Beekeepers Union in Cologne, Germany, claimed: “We must destroy as many Asian hornets as possible. We won’t be able to eradicate them completely. However, it’s possible to reduce their number.”
Speaking to the Bild newspaper, Matthias explained: “In each hive, there are bees that mostly remain inside to manage the breeding as well as the production of honey. When they notice that their peers are getting eaten up, they refrain from coming out at all.”
EU regulations categorise the Asian hornet, also known as Vespa velutina, as an invasive species. This determination means that it must not be kept, bred or offered for sale.
Among the Czech Republic’s 10.5 million inhabitants, there are around 58,000 beekeepers.
Apiarists and agricultural entrepreneurs are concerned that the current development could negatively affect honey harvest volumes and the pollination of plants.
