EASIN - European Alien Species Information Network
Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) detected in Switzerland
The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina), also known as the Asian predatory wasp or yellow-legged hornet, was first reported in Europe in 2004, in southwest France.
The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina), also known as the Asian predatory wasp or yellow-legged hornet, was first reported in Europe in 2004, in southwest France. The invasive population has rapidly grown in size, leading to several problems, as V. velutina preys on the domestic honeybee (Apis mellifera) and other pollinating insects, disrupting their ecological role and harming beekeeping activities. In October 2016, specimens were discovered less than 30 kilometers from the Swiss border.
Recently, an Asian hornet queen has been reported in Fregiécourt, in the Swiss Canton of the Jura (northwest). This is the first validated observation of the species in Switzerland. The queen hornet was caught by a beekeeper who recognized it from an information campaign.