The official story says that in 2003, Asian hornets were introduced in France by accident. After 13 years, in 2016, the first recorded presence of the beast was also recorded in the UK. Since then, the Asian hornets have transformed into an invasion causing damage on multiple levels.
In a new study, specialists say that to make the mischievous insect extinct, it would cost £7million or even more, with the price getting higher by the year. The growing rate is 450,000 euros each year, says the study.
The Asian hornet is not usual. It is a two-inch giant that looks more like an alien. The patterns on its body and the head make it look like a Marvel wicked character. And if you look at the pictures where the alien insects feed with the tiny local bees, you can get a glimpse at the apocalypse. It has sharp stripes of bright yellow on its body, yellow-orange head, and partially yellow legs.
Asian Hornets Invaded Europe
Besides the scary looks, the Asian hornets species is a voracious killing machine feeding with the already endangered bees. This behavior is threatening the ecosystem’s functioning and biodiversity. What’s more, the south-east Asian hornet has enough venom to kill an adult within just a few minutes, if he is to be allergic, by inducing anaphylactic shock.
The biggest problem seems to be the fact that the Asian hornet continues to invade every area suitable for its needs. Specialists have said it from the beginning that the invasion can, and it should be stopped. In 2006, when it first touched European land, the costs would have been 408.000 euros. But it was considered too much or too unimportant. Now, the costs are genuinely outrageous: 11.9million euros for France, 9million euros for Italy and £7.6million for the UK.
The French scientists said that there is only one way to make the gone: bait traps and nest destruction. Their study considers three categories that need to be taken into consideration when it comes to costs: prevention, fighting the invasion, and damage caused by the invasion.
“If the [Asian hornets] keep spreading at a similar rate, we expect the yearly cost of nest destruction to reach an estimated value of 11.9million euros (given that all suitable areas are invaded) in just 12 years,” said Professor Franck Courchamp, the research leader.
As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.