What does the plan to combat its proliferation contain?
Good news for biodiversity and French beekeepers. From right to left, the Senate voted unanimously Thursday in favor ofa bill for the establishment of a national plan to combat the proliferation of the Asian hornet.
The text of Senator Michel Masset (RDSE group, made up of radicals and left-wing radicals), supported by the government, intends to “organize the fight and prevention against this species” using a “national strategy based on departmental scale,” detailed its author.
12 million losses for beekeepers
Beekeepers and scientists are indeed clear: the Asian hornet represents a significant danger in France. For the bees, first. This predator appeared 20 years ago in France and has since spread widely. It is today responsible for around 20% of mortality in apiaries. In one year, a hornet’s nest consumes 11.3 kg of insects, including 30% bees.
It thus represents an annual loss of 12 million euros for the beekeeping industry and adds to the pressures already exerted on bee populations, such as global warming or pesticides used by intensive agriculture. The simple presence of hornets near hives “results in fewer exits of foragers and a drop in activity which weakens the entire hive”, underlines the Senate.
This invasive species also represents a risk for the rest of biodiversity, attacking endemic species of insects such as butterflies, wasps, flies and spiders. This species is “a beekeeping disaster, a scourge for biodiversity and a risk factor insufficiently taken into account”, worried the rapporteur of the proposal from afar, Senator Jean-Yves Roux, member of the RDSE group.
Indicators of proliferation and destruction of nests
According to the Senate, “state funding is currently limited to heavy-handed operations that are unsuitable for such an established species.” To act in a less dispersed manner against this predator, the text provides for the creation of a national control plan bringing together the State, scientists and local actors, including in particular indicators for monitoring the proliferation of this species in the French departments. .
Furthermore, people who find an Asian hornet nest on their property must report it to the prefecture. The text also gives prefects the task of defining, locally, the procedures for reporting the appearance of nests, then their destruction. This destruction will therefore no longer be the responsibility of individuals, where this is often the case, even if certain communities already cover this cost.
Beekeepers soon to be compensated
The bill also sets up a compensation framework for beekeepers affected by the destruction of hives, and therefore economic losses, caused by Asian hornets. The senatorial left, however, regretted that it only concerns “beekeepers” who have suffered economic damage linked to this invasive species, and not all apiaries.
The measure to compensate for economic losses was welcomed by beekeepers. The National Union of French Beekeeping (Unaf) thus welcomed “with enthusiasm this historic vote, which addresses a crucial issue for beekeeping”. “The vote represents a historic moment for French beekeeping, long neglected in the face of this invasive threat […] which has suffered so much from the lack of recognition and support from public authorities,” added Patrick Granziera, administrator of Unaf.
Before it can come into force, the text must be voted on by the National Assembly.
