THREE men have lost their lives to ‘murder hornets’ in Galicia in under two weeks – prompting fears that Spain is losing its long-running battle against the invasive species.
All three deaths were caused by underground hornet nests which are particularly dangerous as they are invisible to the eye.
The first two victims were stung whilst clearing land and the third was taken by surprise after he reportedly stood on a swarm whilst hunting partridges near his home in Cospeito (Lugo).
The last of these deadly attacks occurred on Sunday, a late October date which does not line up with the insects usual peak period – normally the hornets multiply between June and September.
The bugs’ adaptation to climate and terrain has been credited as the reason for the increase in fatal autumnal stings.
A battle against Asian hornets, known as the ‘murder hornets’, has been occurring across Spain for approximately 15 years.
This fight is, however, undermined by the Galician government’s lack of concern over the public health threat posed by these hornets, according to expert vet Xesus Feas.
Officials claim that the situation is improving, citing a 30% drop in calls reporting hornets this year – however, experts warn that not all detected nests are removed due to overwhelmed staff and limited resources.
Despite this, the Galician government has defended their plans which were activated last year stating that double the number of queen hornets have been captured in 2025 compared to 2024 thanks to new traps set up by town halls, according to Fuentes de la Conselleria de Presidencia.
Furthermore, over 16,000 swarms have been removed over the last year from trees, weeds, buildings, and even wardrobe draws.
Invisible swarms remain the most dangerous – as shown by the three latest deaths which were all consequences of concealed underground swarms.
The last time such fatalities were caused by hornets in Galicia was in 2018 when three people were killed in a week.
Despite government effort, this month’s attacks are evidence that the battle against the bugs is far from over.
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The insects continue to pose a ‘public health problem’ according to Marita Puga, the president of the Asociacion Galega de Apicultura.
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