The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is an invasive exotic species that has been found in the Netherlands for several years. The hornet is harmful to honey bees, bumblebee species and other pollinating insects, and it also endangers the ecosystem and our environment. For fruit growers, for example, it is a catastrophe when pollinating insects are killed in large numbers.
Nests must therefore be detected. An effective method for this is to place a small transmitter on the hornet.
Robor Nature recently developed a, in several ways, revolutionary system for detecting hornets with a microtransmitter. Modern radio technology allows targeted searches via handheld directional receivers. The transmitters can also be tracked via a smartphone, and they also report over the mobile network, facilitating the search.
The transmitter itself is very lightweight (<160mg) and has a shorter antenna than previously possible. The hornet is thus less bothered by it in terms of weight and ballast, which increases the likelihood that the hornet with transmitter (after locating the nest) can be recaptured, making the transmitter reusable several times. The transmitter is rechargeable and adjustable via an included controller.
Er is een nieuwe en veel makkelijkere methode voor bevestiging ontwikkelt, waarbij de hoornaar niet verdoofd hoeft te worden. Het aanbrengen duurt 5 seconden. Dit betekent minder stress voor de hoornaar en iedereen kan dit veilig zelf doen. De hoornaar kan direct weer worden vrij gelaten en hoeft niet eerst weer bij te komen en aan te sterken alvorens te kunnen vliegen.
Using specially designed auxiliary tools, the transmitter can be easily attached to the Asian hornet. All necessary tools can be found in the AH detection kit.
In this comprehensive course video, you will learn step by step how to effectively locate Asian hornet nests. The video covers making a wick pot, marking hornets with color codes, and using the Vespa Finder app to determine the flight direction and search area. It also delves deeper into advanced techniques such as “tagging” hornets to track them directly to their nest.
The receiver consists of a handy directional antenna with a smart receiver. You can easily track the signal with the antenna. The signal strength on the receiver is indicated by 16 LEDs and in pitch.
A special receiver has been developed that can be connected to a drone, allowing the signal strength to be displayed on a remote controller. This offers a significant advantage, as sensitivity and range are greatly increased when searching from a greater height. The range is extended to 2 kilometers.
If you are near the nest, anyone with an Android or iOS smartphone can help with the search using a special app called Vespa Finder .
When one user receives the transmitter on the app, all other users will also see this received transmitter on the app. This allows a group of app users to quickly locate an Asian hornet nest. You can do this while walking, cycling, or in combination with the ultra-sensitive receivers on the car.
