A single Asian hornet queen escaped in 2004, leading to a silent invasion across France. Now, 20 years later, millions of descendants reshape the ecosystem.
Asian hornet arrives in France
In 2004, an Asian hornet queen escaped from a container that had arrived from China, carrying Chinese pottery to a warehouse in Lot-et-Garonne. This event marked the beginning of an invasive species' spread across France.Spread of the hornet population
Twenty years later, the descendants of this single hornet have colonized the entire territory. Every autumn reveals the extent of this silent invasion, with the number of nests increasing significantly over the years.Origin of the hornet
The mystery of a container that changed the French ecosystem began with a seemingly ordinary delivery in 2004. Chinese pottery was intended for the garden decoration market, but no one imagined it was transporting a stowaway.Ecological impact
A single container of pottery was sufficient for an invasive species to colonize France from the Southwest. This illustrates how ecological balances can shift due to a minor event, almost invisible at the time.Reproduction method
How a few queens were sufficient to invade an entire territory can be explained by the reproduction method of the Asian hornet. Each year, a queen can found a new colony capable of producing several hundred individuals, including new fertile queens that will swarm again in the following spring.Genetic origin
A study published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research in 2022 allowed researchers to trace the family tree of the species in Europe. The researchers concluded that the entire European invasion descends from a single specimen from China.Nest locations
At the end of summer, the nests of Asian hornets reach their maximum size. Many of them are built at height, hidden in the dense foliage of trees, far from sight. According to data, 70 percent of the nests reported were located more than 10 meters above the ground.National action plan
This year 2026 marks a regulatory turning point. A national action plan against the Asian hornet was adopted by a ministerial decree, co-signed by Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture, and Mathieu Lefèvre, Minister in charge of Ecological Transition. Funded with 3 million euros, the program classifies departments according to four levels of exposure.Nest reporting trends
In terms of figures, the 2025 season shows 18,879 nests declared on the regional reporting platform, compared to 13,290 the previous year, a 42 percent increase. This progress is sustained, but significantly more moderate than the +76 percent recorded in 2024.Climatic impact
A climatic factor could explain this relative slowdown. The heat waves of the summer of 2026, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 40 degrees in several regions, have made the conditions less favorable for the development of colonies. Result: nests generally smaller and populations less numerous than in previous years.Conclusion and impact
Twenty years after the accidental arrival of this single queen in Lot-et-Garonne, the Asian hornet has established itself as a permanent resident of the French landscape. Every autumn, by observing these nests that resurface at the tops of leafless trees, one can concretely measure how a minor event can shape an entire ecosystem, and how collective vigilance remains necessary in the face of these species from elsewhere.
