The United States aims to defend its bees from this new two-winged and deadly enemy

The velutina wasp has arrived in the United States. What can be done to stop the development of this invasive species in ecosystems?

The United States already has the problem within its borders. The yellow-legged hornet, better known as vespa velutina, is already decimating the bee population. Everything seems to indicate that the massive reproduction of this invasive species took place in 2023, having proven untreatable since then. Now, the moment when The effects are beginning to be noticed in the economy and in the number of bee colonies themselves., it seems that they will act accordingly. How is the country going to face this new plague? Here are some of the keys to keep in mind.

The velutine wasp is already wreaking havoc, too, in the United States

The 21st century has been characterized, from the point of view of ecosystems, by the massive entry of invasive species into ecosystems. The globalization of world economies has caused many species to move around the planet, managing to establish colonies in the destination places of goods. One of the species that is causing the most damage in places like Europe is the velutina wasp, which mainly attacks territories populated by bees.

Bees are very important animals in ecosystems thanks to their contribution to pollination. Without them, vegetation would not be able to make its way in a natural environment, with all that this could imply in terms of the food chain. The appearance of the hornet poses a great threat to the hives, since a single specimen can be capable of killing dozens of units. In fact, the velutina is usually positioned at the entrance to bee coloniespreventing the latter from going out to collect pollen.

In some countries, honey production has fallen by up to 35% due to the presence of this invasive species in ecosystems. As you can imagine, this turns into million-dollar losses for beekeepers, as well as a large-scale loss of biodiversity. According to Ars Technica, the velutina has not stopped growing in number since the first nests appeared last summer. In The State of Georgia has already asked the population to report any discoveries of colonies to neutralize them.

There are multiple techniques to eliminate nests with their respective larvae. From the use of fire to one’s own brute force, all these means are being used to limit the development of this species in the ecosystems of the United States. One of the keys to avoiding attacks is take advantage of the night hours to exterminate the nests. The low light calms the activity of these insects as it is daytime, making it the best time to act. Their colonies are usually located at heights to guarantee their safety.

At the same time as the red fire ant, it is advisable to act as soon as possible, since Their reproductive capacity is exponential with each generation. Each colony can be made up of thousands of specimens, becoming a great threat to the natural landscapes of foreign areas. Is it possible to stop the development of this species in new geographic areas? A lot of investment will be needed to stop its growth.

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