Hikers should be on their guard and take precautions against attacks by hornets, as late summer to autumn is the breeding season when the insects are most active, local authorities said after two people last week died from hornet stings.
The Pingtung County Government last week said that for the past three months, it had received 1,472 reports of “hornet nest” sightings, and experts had removed 1,311 of the nests — or an average of 15.8 nests per day.
The county added that 86 percent of the sightings were hornet nests, and the rest were wild bee nests.
Photo courtesy of Yushan National Park Administration Office
Data from the county’s Department of Agriculture showed that it recorded 429 nest sightings in July, of which 424 were removed; 695 sightings last month, of which 541 were removed; and from Sept. 1 to Thursday last week, 348 sightings, with 346 removed.
In Taitung County, the local government said it had received about 30 reports of nest sightings per week in July and last month, but the figure has soared to about 100 per week this month.
People are advised to take precautions when hiking in trails, following a fatal incident in New Taipei City’s Rueifang District (瑞芳) on Wednesday last week, when a group of hikers were attacked by hornets, resulting in two deaths and at least nine others injured.
Based on specimens gathered at the site, experts identified the culprits as Asian hornets, also known as yellow-legged hornets or Asian predatory wasps, which are indigenous to Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
Less than a week after that deadly incident, four people were yesterday sent to a hospital for treatment after being stung by hornets in the same area.
The Keelung Fire Department said it received a call at 10:46am that five people had been attacked by hornets while hiking in Rueifang.
One of the hikers sustained only minor injuries and returned home, while the other four were taken to Keelung Hospital, it said.
One of the injured went into anaphylactic shock, but was stabilized after receiving medication, the hospital said.
Experts said that Asian hornets breed from August through the autumn months, when they are most active. In Taiwan, they can be found from the low plains up to 1,500m-high mountains, living in woodlands and forests, and building their nests on tree branches or burrows on the ground.
The Pingtung County Government has released a public warning and advice to prevent and deal with hornet attacks.
First, wear light-colored clothes and hats, and do not put on perfume, cologne or a scented spray, as hornets are attracted to fruity aromas, such as the odor of tree sap or decomposing fruit.
Second, stick to open walking trails and avoid getting into areas with dense vegetation.
Third, quickly cover the head with a hat, jacket, clothing, or arms, lower the body and walk in the opposite direction when you see a hornet or hornet nest. Do not wave your arms or clothing as this would help hornets zero in on their target.
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