First Asian hornet nests detected in Austria’s Vorarlberg region

On 20 June 2024, two nests of the invasive Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) were discovered in Lustenau, Vorarlberg, Austria. One nest was small and empty, the other was inhabited; both were professionally removed and the insects killed. The find marks the first documented hornet nest in Austria, following only a single queen sighting in Salzburg in April 2024.

The Asian hornet, native to Southeast Asia, has spread across Europe since its introduction to France in 2004 and is listed as an invasive species under EU regulation. While it poses little direct danger to healthy people, it preys on honeybees and other insects, threatening bee colonies and pollination. Austrian authorities have launched a monitoring programme, urging beekeepers and the public to report sightings via the central Velutina reporting portal and to avoid handling nests themselves.