Hornet Season Is Approaching Malta – Here’s How You Can Avoid Getting Painfully Stung
Back in the late 80s, hornets were considered a rare or even extinct species in Malta. However, whoever made that assessment should be fired because hornets are very much in Malta – and their season is quickly approaching.
“The Oriental Hornet (Żunżan Bagħal) is indigenous to the Maltese islands. Although recorded in the Maltese islands in the 1950s by Anthony Valletta, the species seems to have disappeared by the 1970s. By 2014 the species escalated exponentially at an alarming rate,” says Arnold Sciberras, a professional pest controller who personally tackled over 800 hornet nests in 2017.
As Arnold explains, hornets can mobilise their entire nest to sting in defence if threatened, and this can be dangerous to humans. “It is not advisable to kill a hornet anywhere near a nest, as the distress signal (a pheromone) can trigger the entire colony to attack. Materials that come in contact with the pheromone, such as clothes, skin, dead prey, or hornets, must be removed from the vicinity of the hornets’ nest,” he said.
Apart from not going anywhere near the nest, there are a couple of other things that you should keep in mind if you find a hornet’s nest nearby
Oriental hornet
1. Do not disturb the nest
Just to be safe, don’t even go within a few metres of the nest. And be wary of where hornets like to nest – everywhere from small spaces like ventilators, air conditioner holes, or places with a food source nearby.
2. Don’t mess around with any hornets
Not only should you not disturb a hornet or its nest, you shouldn’t kill hornets, or even block the path of an aggressive hornet.
3. Don’t rapidly move the air around the nest
Avoid breathing on the nest, or indeed sending any rapid air movements towards the nest.
4. Clean up after feeding stray animals
Don’t leave any pet food lying around a hornet’s nest
European hornet
5. If you do get stung don’t panic
Single or multiple stings can cause local severely painful reactions with swelling and redness. These symptoms can be relieved by ice packs, painkillers, antihistamines and rest. It is best to consult a doctor. Multiple stings, however, can prove life-threatening.
Never attempt to remove a nest without professional help. Pest control professionals can take the necessary precautions and prevent human endangerment.
Today, the European hornet has largely been replaced by the Oriental hornet
Interestingly, Sciberras has been studying the species in detail for more than a decade now while reviewing old collections, and came to the conclusion that it was the European hornet that use to thrive locally, whilst the current Oriental hornet must have been a rarity back then.
Today, the Oriental hornet is causing major havoc in urban areas like Sliema and St Julian’s. They should be considered are a detrimental hazard because now that they have moved close to the where humans live, conflicts are inevitable.
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