Beekeeper warns of Asian hornet threat to Ireland’s native bees

As the hunt continues for an Asian hornet nest in Co Cork, an Irish-based beekeeper who has seen the invasive species spread through her native Netherlands is warning that Ireland must remain vigilant.

An extensive operation is now underway in the Ringaskiddy area after a second Asian hornet was captured at the location of the initial sighting, with the National Parks and Wildlife Service deploying specialist bait stations and transmitter technology in an effort to locate a possible nest.

For Frankie de Dobbelaere, the developments are particularly concerning.

The Dutch-born beekeeper, who has lived in Ireland since 1999, is a member of the Asian Hornet Group Ireland and is actively involved in raising awareness of the threat posed by the invasive species.

“We should be at any time concerned about the Asian hornet,” she said.

“It is settled in Europe, and it is also present in a high amount in the UK. At any time, this invasive species can come to Ireland.”

Frankie's concern is not based solely on theory.

She comes from an area of the Netherlands where Asian hornets have been present since 2016 and has seen them first-hand, including in her sister's garden.

“I was reporting this, and then I was looking at how they are eradicating it, how they are spreading,” she said.

Her interest in the species subsequently grew, including through a beekeeping course she attended in Belgium.

And with the latest Cork discovery raising fears that a nest could be nearby, Frankie says the timing is critical.

She points out that new queens are now being produced which could potentially survive the winter and establish new populations next year.

“This is very important because at this moment the new future queens for next year are being hatched, or have hatched already,” she explained.

“At any time we should avoid those new queens hibernating and spreading further next year.”

The potential impact extends well beyond honey bees.

Asian hornets are predators which feed on other insects, particularly social insects that are available in large numbers.

“One nest can consume easily 11 kilos and more of insects during a season,” Frankie said.

“That can have an impact on biodiversity. There will be less insects, and we need our insects for pollinating the crops.”

For beekeepers, the threat is particularly serious because honey bees can become a target for the hornets.

Frankie manages native Irish honey bees herself and says an established Asian hornet population could have a significant impact on colonies.

“Because beekeepers' bees live in colonies, they live en masse,” she explained.

“Once they get the smell of them, they might hover in front of your beehives and they might enter, and they might rule the whole population.”

Frankie and other members of the Asian Hornet Group Ireland are actively monitoring for the species using selective traps.

She says beekeepers have also become increasingly aware of the threat following previous incursions, with associations holding lectures and providing information to help identify and respond to sightings.

For members of the public, knowing what to look for is equally important.

Frankie describes the Asian hornet as a dark brown or black insect measuring around two to three centimetres, with an orange end to its abdomen, an orange face and yellow markings at the ends of its legs.

If somebody believes they have spotted one, she advises taking a good photograph and reporting it rather than attempting to deal with it themselves.

That public vigilance is also being emphasised by the Government, with the Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan saying that early detection and rapid intervention are critical in preventing the species from becoming established.

But while the Asian hornet has become one of Frankie's particular areas of interest, her passion for bees began much earlier.

“I always wanted to have bees, but my work never allowed this,” she said.

That changed in 2016 when she began a beekeeping course.

She subsequently completed beginner, intermediate and senior courses and developed an increasing interest in the species.

The passion also has its roots in her childhood, having grown up on a farm in the Netherlands where bees were a familiar part of life.

“I was growing up on a farm where bees were common,” she said. “And now I have my own bees, so I am very happy with it.”

Frankie is particularly passionate about protecting the native Irish honey bee, which she says has adapted exceptionally well to Ireland's environment.

“The native Irish honey bee is a well-settled bee for thousands of years and has adapted very well to the climate and ecosystem,” she said.

“We should not lose a bee which is so well adapted to our environment.”

She points out that the native Irish honey bee is particularly suited to the Irish climate, including its famously wet weather.

“They can deal with our nice rainy weather,” she explained. “They fly longer than the other bees in the rainy weather.”

Frankie's professional background is quite different from her work with bees.

She is a veterinarian by profession and works with the European Commission. She previously worked at a border control post in Rotterdam before becoming an auditor for the European Commission.

It was her work which ultimately brought her to Ireland, with a European Commission office being established in County Meath.

She settled in the Dunsany area and has now lived in Ireland for more than 26 years.

Alongside her professional career and beekeeping, Frankie is an education officer in her beekeepers' association, giving lectures to people beginning beekeeping and mentoring other beekeepers.

She is also a committee member of the Asian Hornet Group Ireland.

For Frankie, protecting Ireland's native bee population means protecting a species which has adapted to this island over thousands of years.

“We should do all we can to protect our native bees because they know the way to deal with the environment the best,” she said