Overview

• On July 22, a 67-year-old retiree in Fismes died after running over a hidden Asian hornet nest with his lawn mower and suffering more than a dozen stings.
• Firefighters from Pompiers de la Marne confirmed the retiree’s death and destroyed the concealed nest following the incident.
• Fismes officials and the Reims urban community have announced subsidies to help residents pay for private nest destruction.
• A 19-year-old man in Asfeld was hospitalized the same day after being stung by an Asian hornet, underscoring growing public health concerns.
• Since arriving in 2005, Vespa velutina has spread across France, killing about 20% of apiary bees and prompting national and local control measures.