Walter Finch
THE deadly Asian hornet has been confirmed in Malaga province for the first time this summer.
It has sparked an urgent hunt by environmental authorities to locate and destroy its nest before the species can establish itself across southern Spain.
The Vespa velutina was identified in the Pinos de Alhauin residential area of Alhauin de la Torre, marking the invasive species’ first official presence in the Costa del Sol.
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The dangerous insects, which can grow up to 4cm long, are significantly larger and more aggressive than the oriental hornets, which are already established throughout Malaga.
Environmental department officers are now racing against time to find the colony before new queens emerge and spread across the region.
The operation involves capturing specimens and attempting to follow them back to their nest using both tagging methods and triangulation techniques with food lures.
The search has proved challenging due to the heavily wooded terrain covering approximately 10,000 square metres in the residential development.
Construction sites in the area have also complicated efforts, as the nest could potentially be located within unfinished building structures.
Scientists warn that the Asian hornet poses a severe threat to local bee populations and native ecosystems.
Research shows the species can hunt nearly 2,000 different insect species, making it particularly destructive to biodiversity.
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The Asian hornet has already wreaked havoc across northern Spain, particularly devastating Galicia’s ecosystem and bee populations over recent years.
In Santiago de Compostela, nest numbers exploded from just three to 500 within four years of the species’ arrival.
The Malaga sighting represents the second confirmed presence of Asian hornets in Andalucia, following a 2022 detection in Algeciras where the nest was successfully eliminated.
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However, this latest discovery suggests the species may be attempting to establish a permanent foothold in southern Spain.
The Asian hornet’s arrival in Malaga adds to growing concerns about invasive species affecting Spain’s Mediterranean coast, joining existing problems with oriental hornets, Argentine parakeets, and invasive marine species that have already established themselves in the region.
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