Overview

• The Asian hornet, first detected in Germany in 2020, has now established nests in three Bavarian regions, with five nests located so far in 2025.
• The hornet preys on honeybees, causing behavioral changes that reduce foraging activity and honey production, endangering colony health.
• Beekeepers and conservation authorities are intensifying efforts to locate and remove nests using elaborate detection methods.
• In France and Portugal, the species has been linked to damage in fruit agriculture, raising concerns about potential agricultural risks in Germany.
• The online platform Beewarned.de tracks the hornet’s spread, revealing its expansion from Lower and Middle Franconia to Swabia.