Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Invasive Asian hornet rapidly spreading in Switzerland

asian hornets pose a danger to honeybee populations
The Asian hornet was first spotted in Switzerland in 2017 and has been spotted in seven cantons in Switzerland this year. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

The Asian hornet is spreading rapidly in Switzerland, with 66 sightings already reported in seven cantons this year, according to a bee health organisation. Favorable weather conditions are aiding the invasive species' expansion.

Asian hornets pose a threat to insects, particularly honeybees, as they hunt them to feed their larvae. When natural food sources become scarce in late summer, they increasingly target bee colonies.

While bee colonies in Switzerland have not yet perished due to extreme hornet pressure, it is crucial to swiftly destroy as many Asian hornet nests as possible to safeguard native honeybees and other pollinators, said the Bee Health Service (SSA) in a statementExternal link on June 28.

The Asian hornet was first spotted in Switzerland in 2017 and has since been found at 24 locations in eight cantons as of 2022. It can be identified by its smaller size compared to native hornets and thin yellow stripes on its abdomen.

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Black Friday gets off to a slow start in stationary retail

More

Black Friday gets off to a slow start in Swiss shops

This content was published on Black Friday has established itself as one of the biggest shopping events in Switzerland in recent years. On Friday, however, business was rather slow, especially in the stores.

Read more: Black Friday gets off to a slow start in Swiss shops
Valais fights against the spread of the Japanese beetle

More

Swiss canton fights spread of Japanese beetle

This content was published on The invasive Japanese beetle has been discovered in Valais, southwestern Switzerland. The canton now wants to stop the spread of the voracious plant pest.

Read more: Swiss canton fights spread of Japanese beetle
wallet

More

Court overturns minimum wages in Zurich and Winterthur

This content was published on The administrative court of canton Zurich has annulled the ordinance on the introduction of a municipal minimum wage in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Winterthur. It said the ordinances violated cantonal law.

Read more: Court overturns minimum wages in Zurich and Winterthur
Cern ends cooperation with institutes from Russia and Belarus

More

CERN ends cooperation with institutes from Russia and Belarus

This content was published on The cooperation agreement between CERN and Russia and Belarus will be terminated on Saturday, as previously announced. The move is a reaction to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.

Read more: CERN ends cooperation with institutes from Russia and Belarus
Swiss Air Force downsizes

More

Swiss Air Force reduces displays to save money

This content was published on The Swiss Air Force wants to halve the number of its demonstrations and exhibitions to save money. Participation abroad is planned only in exceptional cases from the beginning of 2025.

Read more: Swiss Air Force reduces displays to save money

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR