Dordogne resident claims to catch 1,300 Asian hornets in a day using this technique
Homemade concoction of alcohol and syrup attracts and traps hornets but repels bees keeping pollinators safe
Founder queen hornets are waking up from hibernation as the weather gets warmer
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A farmer in south-west France is using a homemade trap that he claims has caught over 1,000 Asian hornets in one day, in a bid to keep the insects from causing damage.
The homemade trap – made of alcohol and syrup – aims to capture founder queens that are capable of forming hives and leading to swarms of hornets in an area.
These queens do not die out during the winter as other hornets of the species do but go into hibernation, waking up at the beginning of spring when temperatures get warmer to go and found a hive.
Capturing the hornets is particularly important now not only to stop the proliferation of nests, but to prevent the destruction of other insect ecosystems including bees.
The animals are dangerous to humans, pets, and agriculture – one farmer said up to half of annual production from beehives can be lost after a nearby Asian hornet infestation to media outlet TF1.
They cause up to €12 million in damages per year to farmers with beehives.
Several mairies now provide free traps to capture hornets including queens.
Homemade traps save money in the long run
Those looking to capture the hornets themselves can do so via a simple homemade concoction.
Farmer Patrick Loubet, from the Dordogne, uses a simple homemade concoction of beer, grenadine syrup, and white wine.
“You put three quarters of a beer in a can, and the same amount of white wine… [a biq squirt] of grenadine syrup and I finish with a big glass of liquid sugar. You shake it up and put the can horizontally,” he said to TF1.
The alcohol in the mixture attracts hornets but the wine repels bees, keeping them safe from harm.
Using this remedy, which costs only a few euros (it is possible to buy the cheapest version of these ingredients), the farmer was able to capture 1,300 hornets in a 24-hour period according to TF1.
“I never thought I'd catch so many in such a short space of time,” he said.
Read more: Now is the time for many to install Asian hornet traps in France
