Overview
- The Asian hornet was declared established in Germany in March 2025 and in late May 2026 multiple primary nests and sightings have been reported in towns such as Hamm, Drensteinfurt and Allershausen.
- Spring founding nests are still small and reachable, so experts say removal before the end of May is the best chance to stop a single queen from producing a summer colony of thousands.
- Authorities and conservation groups warn against private removal and tell people to photograph and report sightings to local offices or apps rather than attempt DIY interventions.
- Trained, certified removers, often local imkers, are now using telescopic lances and activated charcoal powder to neutralize nests but face growing costs for protective suits, materials and equipment that frequently fall to volunteers or property owners.
- Beekeepers warn the hornet preys on honeybees and other pollinators, posing risks to hive survival and crop pollination, and they say limited state funding and capacity mean the species is likely to spread unless detection and local support are scaled up.