Vespa-Watch - Invasion monitoring of Asian hornet with beekeepers and the public

The Asian hornet, an exotic wasp from China, was first seen in the wild in Flanders in the spring of 2017. The species represents a threat to honeybees, bee health and insect populations in general. Because of its impact on biodiversity, the Asian hornet is included on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern.

The intention of Vespa-watch is to follow the Asian hornet invasion and to map its management in Flanders. The data collected with the help of beekeepers, naturalists and the public will be used for organizing management, research into the invasion (invasion rate, invaded areas, invasion history, management evaluation, impact research) and can also be used for European reporting. It also wants to provide a tool for reporting and management registration, linked to a website for the general public that visualizes the data about the Asian hornet invasion. The project also creates awareness on the importance of bees and pollination for humanity and biodiversity.