Asian hornet nests reported in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. The species, which comes from Southeast Asia, has been widespread in southwestern Europe for years.
A large nest with a thousand or more Asian hornets consumes significantly more than eleven kilos of insects per year. The stings are no more dangerous for humans than those of native wasp species, according to Nabu Nature Conservation Association. It is unclear what damage this hornet could cause beyond the feared loss of insect species.