Now that it’s autumn, there could be even more of them: Asian hornets tend to build their pear-shaped nests high up in trees. As the leaves fall, the nests become more visible.

Furthermore, Asian hornets often favour densely populated areas. Their nests may therefore be found right in the heart of built-up areas. If this is the case, it is essential to leave the nest undisturbed and report it to the relevant authorities.

The Asian hornet is not, in fact, any more dangerous than native hornets, wasps or bees. Individual insects are usually quite peaceful. However, in the immediate vicinity of the nest, they can display pronounced defensive behaviour – if their nest is disturbed, they will attack. Furthermore, the nests of the Asian hornet are significantly larger than those of native species and can contain several hundred individuals. The more hornets defending the nest, the more stings there are. And that can then become dangerous, not only for people with allergies.

Therefore: it is essential to leave the nest undisturbed and to inform the relevant authorities of your discovery. You can find contact details on the Asian hornet page in the downloads section.