Oliveira do Hospital destroys 241 Asian hornet nests this year

The Municipality of Oliveira do Hospital has destroyed 241 Asian hornet (vespa velutina) nests since the beginning of the year. This represents a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year, with 31 more nests eliminated than in the previous year.

July was identified as the month with the highest incidence, accounting for nearly half of the total occurrences. During a 19-day intervention period in July, the Municipal Civil Protection Service eliminated 119 nests. In total, 48 days of work have been dedicated to the identification and destruction of this invasive species between January and August.

The municipality considers the combat against the Asian hornet a priority due to its negative impacts on apiculture, the environment, and biodiversity. Local authorities emphasize that the increase in nest destruction reflects both the persistence of the species and the effectiveness of early detection and response efforts.