Asian hornets cause massive hive losses in Alpes-Maritimes

Beekeepers in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France are struggling to protect their hives from the Asian hornet, an invasive species causing significant losses. While the hornet has been present in the department for 15 years, the scale of destruction increased sharply after 2022. The presence of the hornets discourages bees from foraging, which reduces honey production and weakens colonies by limiting the queen's ability to lay eggs.

In some areas, such as the Tanneron massif near Cannes, beekeepers have reported losing half of a hive in a single week. The Groupement de défense sanitaire de l'abeille has noted a 10% annual decline in membership since 2020, alongside a parallel collapse in the number of active hives.

The French government has announced a national combat plan, including spring trapping of founding hornets and nest destruction through autumn. However, funding remains a concern; the national budget is limited to three million euros, while the Alpes-Maritimes departmental council spent 1.5 million euros to destroy over 6,400 nests between 2014 and 2024. Due to high costs, current destruction efforts are limited to nests found within 1.5 km of a beehive.