The first thing Mick and I knew we had a very dangerous situation literally in our ‘own backyard’, was when we had a visit from Monsieur Le Maire.  We had met the mayor of Fenouillet in January this year when we attended a ceremony he put on for the community. Two days ago he arrived at the home where we are house sitting to inform us that he would be back the next evening around 6pm to destroy the hornet’s nest. Actually he said “un nid de frelon” – and I had no idea what he meant until he came into the house and he typed the words into Google Translate on my iMac.

I then contacted the home owner to let her know, and to ask her where the nest was. Even with her clear instructions it was initially hard to see it in the top of a pine tree (about 2m from the top) in her yard. But once spotted, we could see it was huge, and had a very distinct shape – it was a large balloon-type nest. I have borrowed an up-close image of a nest so you can see what to look for in the photo of her tree.

I tried to find out a little more about the Asian Hornet and found this very good article which helped Mick and I to better understand why the nest needed to be destroyed. Previously I have mentioned that this home is very close to a beekeeper and honey producer, a matter of several hundred metres only. The Asian Hornets are capable of destroying colonies of bees and it is essential the nests are destroyed if found. They are thought to have been brought into France from China in some pottery that came through Bordeaux about 15 years ago, and there are quite a few colonies of them found in the South of France.

Mick and I had no idea how they were going to destroy the nest as it was so high up.
Around 6pm last evening, we spotted two people (we had not seen before in the community) outside the home looking up at the pine tree and obviously the nest. So Mick and I went out to say hello and to explain that Monsieur Le Maire had told us he’d be back this evening. Well that is what we ‘thought’ he said, because in the end he never arrived. But there was certainly some action. And that action attracted a little crowd.

We soon worked out that the three men carrying large guns (the hunters) and their friend with the binoculars (the lookout) had a plan to shoot the nest out of the tree. They told us (we think) that once the nest was destroyed the hornets cannot survive for too long.

On the count of three (un, deux, trois) the gunmen opened fire on the nest and eventually it tumbled down through the tree. It took more than one attempt by the three gunmen who used three bullets at a time (we think that is something to do with the law).

Mick thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment, complete with a glass of French red wine. I later read that the hornets are attracted to bright colours and sweet smells – Mick was a sitting target and he did not even realise it.

It was very noisy which brought more locals out to see what was happening.

There was lots of “congratulations” after the nest tumbled down from the tree, and eventually Mick and I said farewell and thank you, and returned to the home. Meanwhile, the hunters started to show each other their guns and more locals gathered to discuss what had happened. I heard them say they thought there was a second nest down the gorge and I think they were planning another event to destroy that nest as well.

Once inside the home we could still see the locals through the kitchen window. It was a little alarming to see the tallest of the hunters seemingly aim his gun into the window (in the photo on the right). Unsure what he was checking, but Mick assured me the gun was ‘broken’ and therefore was not capable of firing a bullet.

The next morning, Mick went out to find what was left of the nest and of the hornets. There were a lot of hornets flying around, and we had to keep the doors and windows closed all day to keep them out. They are dangerous to humans and a bite can be fatal. Last year, in the south of France a man was bitten and died shortly afterwards.

All Mick could find were several pieces of the nest on the ground in the next door neighbours’ yard. Anyway, fingers crossed this colony will soon be no more.

Here is a short video (6sec) of the actual event!! Enjoy

Never a dull moment in this little community!!