The Vila Nova de Gaia City Council destroyed 1,350 Asian hornet nests last year, 320 more than in 2022, and this year almost seven dozen have already been found, it was revealed today.
In response to the Lusa news agency, the municipality of Gaia, in the district of Porto, revealed that the appearance of nests of the velutin wasp, known as the ‘Asian hornet’, “has increased”.
In 2022, 1,030 nests were destroyed in the municipality, while in 2023 the number rose to 1,350.
Since January 1st of this year, 68 Asian hornet nests have been destroyed.
When asked about the costs of the operation, Gaia City Council said that it spent 6,150 euros on it last year.
This figure includes fuel, ammunition, liquids and other equipment and does not include personnel costs, he specified.
In Gaia, inactivating nests is the responsibility of Civil Protection, through the Sapadores Bombeiros Battalion.
Coming from Southeast Asia and distinct from the European hornet, the Asian hornet is a darker and slightly larger insect with a velvety body and yellow legs.
By feeding on native bees and other pollinating insects, the Asian hornet puts the entire ecosystem at risk and is therefore a concern for the entire community.
This species of predatory wasp was introduced to Europe via the port of Bordeaux in France in 2004.
The first signs of its presence in Portugal appeared in 2011, but the situation only got worse towards the end of the following year.
The velutin wasp was first detected in Portugal in 2011 in the Viana do Castelo region, and subsequently spread to the northwest and center of the country.
