German authorities reveal plans to employ telescopic plants in their efforts to control the Asian hornet influx.
In a bid to protect honeybees and promote biodiversity, a new method of combating Asian Giant Hornets is being tested in Baden-Württemberg. The telescopic lance method, which does not use poison, is gaining traction among beekeepers and hornet specialists.
The telescopic lance, assembled from several individual tubes, is used to blow stone dust or coal dust into the hornet's nest, clogging their breathing system and causing their death. This method, while slower, allows animals and plants in the vicinity to remain unaffected.
Peter Seyfried, a beekeeper, prefers reaching hornet nests directly using a turntable ladder or a cherry picker. However, the telescopic lance has its advocates, such as Peter Westermann, a hornet specialist, who believes that each of the 36 districts should have at least one lance for effective hornet control.
The cost of a telescopic lance, including a battery-operated compressor and additional materials, is over 4,000 euros. The acquisition of these lances was sponsored by the state parliament factions of the Greens and the CDU. Currently, there are six telescopic lances in Baden-Württemberg.
Bernd Kroeg, a prominent figure in hornet control, emphasizes the importance of combating the Asian hornet not only to protect honeybees but also for the protection of biodiversity. He prefers the combat method using a cherry picker over the telescopic lance.
The ideal distribution of lances, according to Westermann, is for each of the 36 districts to have at least one. He gathered course participants to demonstrate the use of the telescopic lance on a hornet's nest in a walnut tree. Bernd and Gabriele Kroeg, from the municipality of Sasbach, attended the demonstration to learn about the lance method and intend to combat the Asian hornet as nest removers.
Peter Seyfried emphasizes the importance of combating primary nests in the spring, particularly to catch the queens before they build secondary nests and generate offspring. Traps are useful for this, but they have been banned for conservation reasons. After the "dusting" process, the nest remains are collected and stored in a freezer at minus 18 degrees Celsius for two to three days to speed up the hornets' death.
The organization sponsoring the six "Teleskoplanzen" (telescopic poles) in Baden-Württemberg to combat Asian giant hornets is the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy of Baden-Württemberg, in cooperation with the State Institute for Bee Science at the University of Hohenheim and other related bodies such as the agricultural administration and beekeeping associations.
It is important to note that Asian Giant Hornets pose a danger to humans as well. They can cause allergies or anaphylactic shock in addition to their painful stings. The hornets are currently being tested against using new telescopic lances in Baden-Württemberg. By the end of 2025, around 120 nest removers will be trained across the state to use these lances.
This new method, while expensive, offers a promising solution to the growing problem of Asian Giant Hornets in Baden-Württemberg. As more nest removers are trained, the hope is that the hornet population will be effectively controlled, protecting both the environment and human health.
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