Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Frank Willems, a beekeeper from Pelt, has destroyed his 200th Asian hornet nest in Hasselt over the past three years. Even with his hard work, there are still 520 nests left in Limburg, and there aren’t enough people to remove them.
Frank Willems, a beekeeper from Pelt, has reached a significant milestone by destroying his 200th nest of Asian hornets in Hasselt. He started this effort three years ago when his bees were disturbed by the hornets, and he struggled to find someone to remove the nest. Now, he helps others deal with the problem, but in Limburg, there are still 520 nests reported and not enough people to exterminate them.
How does Willems control Asian hornet nests in North Limburg?
Willems destroyed his 200th hornet nest in under 10 minutes. He usually works in North Limburg and uses a long tool called a lance to poke the nest and spray a chemical. To find the Asian hornets, he marks them after they eat meat or something sweet. By watching where they fly, he can figure out where the nest is located.
It has been said that Asian hornets can’t be completely removed, but it’s important to destroy as many nests as possible for nature. Willems says if we can find and remove 90 percent of the nests, that’s good. He explains that keeping hornets under control helps beekeeping and lets us enjoy birds because hornets eat insects that help flowers grow. In fall, many nests are easier to see, and in spring, anyone can set traps from local beekeeping groups. If someone finds a nest, they can report it on website or their local fire department.
