MAKING ASIAN HORNET TRAPS BYCATCH FRIENDLY!
Bait Pod inside TRAP-X
Asian hornets pose a significant threat to the UK's native pollinators, especially bees, and managing their population is essential for protecting local biodiversity. However, trapping these invasive insects isn't without its pitfalls. One critical issue that arises is the unintentional capture or bycatch of harmless, beneficial insects, including bees, butterflies, moths, and other essential pollinators.
Why is bycatch a concern?
Pollinators play a crucial role in the ecosystem, helping plants reproduce and maintaining the balance of our natural environment. Unfortunately, poorly designed traps can indiscriminately capture these beneficial insects alongside invasive hornets. This unintended consequence can inadvertently harm the very species we aim to protect, undermining conservation efforts.
How can we make traps more selective?
Bycatch-friendly traps utilise carefully designed entrances, attractants, and screening methods that specifically target Asian hornets. These adaptations reduce the likelihood of trapping other insects, ensuring that beneficial species remain unharmed. For example, employing selective attractants like specific protein-based lures or designing entry points that exploit the unique behaviours of Asian hornets can significantly reduce collateral damage.
Innovative Solutions: The Bait Pod and TRAP-X
The Bait Pod, an innovative, self-righting bait container designed by Apitura, offers cleaner and more efficient insect bait odour delivery specifically for trapping insects such as Asian hornets. Featuring unique spill-proof cells, it prevents leaks and spillages, maintaining attractant potency while safeguarding against bycatch contamination. Extensively tested in Jersey, the Bait Pod demonstrated exceptional effectiveness with Asian hornets, emitting attractant vapours consistently for two to three weeks and reliably attracting Asian hornets throughout the testing period.
Similarly, TRAP-X was developed to provide a practical, user-friendly solution for controlling Asian hornets, addressing the challenges of invasive species management with precision and efficiency. TRAP-X is designed with highly effective escape opportunities for beneficial insects, ensuring their safety and freedom, whilst focusing on the efficient capture and containment of Asian hornets.
The development of TRAP-X involved extensive research and testing in Jersey, carried out in collaboration with respected experts in Asian hornet control. Combining scientific expertise with practical application, this innovative solution has been rigorously tested under real-world conditions. TRAP-X has demonstrated its effectiveness as a dependable, no-nonsense tool for managing and mitigating Asian hornet populations.
What can you do to help?
If you're setting traps to control Asian hornets, it's essential to choose or build traps designed with bycatch prevention in mind. Regularly monitoring your traps can also help you quickly release any accidentally captured beneficial insects. Sharing awareness of bycatch-friendly practices within your community further multiplies the positive impact.
Taking these steps not only aids in the control of invasive Asian hornets but also ensures we protect our invaluable native pollinators, sustaining the biodiversity of our local ecosystems.