MEETING AIMS:
At the BfR Colloquium on 14 November 2025, DIALOGIK researcher Ludger Benighaus presented the talk “The Asian Hornet – Citizen Science and Digital Tools for Managing an Invasive Species”. The event was hosted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), which—like DIALOGIK—is a partner in the HOLiFOOD project.
The presentation introduced current findings from the HOLiFOOD case study on the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina), an invasive species increasingly threatening honeybee populations and honey production in Germany. The talk demonstrated how citizen science and digital reporting tools support early detection and monitoring. Platforms such as Meine Umweltand Survey123 enable citizens to report sightings with photos, GPS data and timestamps, ensuring timely information for public authorities.
Insights from North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg illustrated how digital tools improve data quality, accelerate responses and strengthen cooperation between experts and the public. The case study also discussed practical approaches to locating and removing nests, highlighting the growing importance of digital monitoring in managing invasive species.