Evaluating Electric Harps and Muzzles to Mitigate the Impact of <i>Vespa velutina nigrithorax</i> at Beehives

ABSTRACT The Asian hornet ( Vespa velutina nigrithorax ) poses a significant threat to the beekeeping industry. Using an experimental apiary of 36 hives, we simultaneously evaluated the effectiveness of two mitigation measures—muzzles and electric harps—in reducing the impact of Asian hornets on honey bee colonies. We found that the hornet abundance was significantly lower around colonies protected with electric harps compared to those protected with muzzles or left unprotected. While the accumulation of honey, pollen and brood declined over time in all colonies, the rate of decline was slower in colonies protected with electric harps. Under the high hornet pressure observed during the study, all unprotected colonies and those with muzzles collapsed by the end of the sampling period. In contrast, 25% of the colonies protected with electric harps remained active until the end of the sampling. These results suggest that the use of electric harps in apiaries had a positive effect on colony productivity and viability. However, these results are strongly influenced by the pre‐existing health conditions of honey bee colonies. The development of effective mitigation measures that actively reduce the abundance of hornets in front of beehives, rather than simply preventing them from entering, and ensuring that colony health is maintained, is crucial to mitigating the impact of the Asian hornet on the beekeeping sector.