The number of reports of Asian hornets in Dronten is increasing, according to the municipal executive. Notifications recorded in the municipality’s Fixi app rose from six last year to 21 this year, while the local department of the Dutch Beekeepers’ Association also reported an increase. The province is responsible for controlling the invasive species. Residents can report sightings through Observation.org, after which the local beekeepers’ association is contacted to remove summer nests and place traps and decoys.

The current reporting and referral approach is considered effective, but nest removal is often delayed because capacity is limited and frequently depends on volunteers. The municipality once hired a pest-control specialist for a site where the situation was considered urgent and provincial action had been delayed. The municipal executive said health risks are generally limited, although people with an allergy to insect venom and anyone disturbing a nest face a greater risk. Serious incidents and hospitalisations have been reported nationally, but not in Dronten, and there is no evidence that the yellow-legged hornet poses a major public-health risk in the Netherlands.