Friday, March 29

The ‘killer wasp’ continues in Extremadura


The Board captures 136 Asian hornets, an invasive exotic species that expands in Extremadura

The control measures of the Junta de Extremadura have allowed the capture of 136 Asian hornets, an invasive exotic species that was detected for the first time in the Extremaduran community in 2016 and that continues in this region.

The Asian hornet was detected for the first time that year in the municipality of Cedillo (Cáceres), thanks to the Early Warning Network for Invasive Alien Species (IAS) established by the Junta de Extremadura, the LIFE INVASEP Project and in collaboration with the Beekeepers Associations and the General Directorate of Community Agrarian Policy.

It is an exotic invasive species that, due to its size, is more difficult to detect and be able to control its populations than other larger species.

Since its first appearance, the number of specimens detected increased until, in 2019, it exceeded 50 specimens and was located, particularly, in the municipalities of Valencia de Alcántara, Zarza La Mayor, Valverde del Fresno and Cedillo. That same year, two Asian hornet nests were detected for the first time in the Sever River, which were quickly eliminated by personnel from the General Directorate of Sustainability and the General Directorate of Agriculture and Livestock of the Junta de Extremadura.

Valencia de Alcantara and La Codosera

In 2021, the technical monitoring teams detected 3 more hornet nests, located in Valencia de Alcántara and La Codosera. Currently, the fourth review of the trap network has been carried out and a total of 136 Asian hornets have been captured, 35 of them in Codosera, 21 in Valencia de Alcántara, 46 in Cedillo, 19 in Herrera de Alcántara, 4 in Santiago de Alcántara and finally 11 specimens in Valverde del Fresno. In this way, the data show the expansion of the species by ‘La Raya’, from Codosera to Valverde del Fresno.

With the aim of laying the foundations to fight against this species, the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Junta de Extremadura published the Order of April 29, 2021, which approves the protocol for the control and eradication of the Asian hornet ( Vespa velutina), also known as the ‘killer wasp’.

In addition, this regulation establishes the creation of a passive surveillance program, through which the Urgencies and Emergency Care Center 112 is assigned as the reference telephone number for the collection of all notices related to the presence of the Asian hornet in Extremadura; the active surveillance program is created, where the General Directorate has a network of 79 traps distributed in the border area with Portugal (La Codosera, Valencia de Alcántara, Cedillo, Herrera de Alcántara, Santiago de Alcántara, Alcántara, Zarza la Mayor, Cilleros and Valverde del Fresno) for the detection of the Asian hornet.

Locating and eliminating the large nests of this species is the most effective way to combat their presence in these early stages of the invasion. However, the difficulty of locating the nests on the surface of the territory makes the collaboration of citizens and beekeeping professionals essential, starting in August, to locate these nests and report their existence by calling 112 to proceed with their elimination. immediate.

Likewise, the technicians assure that the Asian hornet is not more dangerous than other native species, although they recommend taking all the necessary precautionary measures to avoid being stung by this species, like any other insect, as reported by the Junta de Extremadura this Sunday. in press release.

Topics

Junta de Extremadura, Cedillo, Cilleros, Extremadura, Herrera de Alcántara, La Codosera, Portugal, Santiago de Alcántara, Valencia de Alcántara, Valverde del Fresno, Zarza la Mayor, Asian Wasp


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