The symposium “Proteger a nossa abelha,” held in Santa Maria da Feira on December 13, aimed primarily to provide participants with knowledge to safeguard their beehives, with a special focus on the threat posed by the Asian hornet. CESAM/DBio researcher Olga Ameixa played an active role during the symposium with a presentation titled “Biology and Ecology of Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae),” discussing the historical invasion of the species in Europe and Portugal, the ecology and biology of the species, and the need to distinguish Vespa Velutina from other wasp and bee species.
The initiative, promoted by the Agricultural Cooperative of Feira, São João da Madeira, Gaia, and Espinho, also aimed to disseminate information about the available support for beekeepers in the year 2024. It also marked the establishment of the beekeeping section of the cooperative, intended to provide technical support, assistance with support applications, and address other relevant issues for local beekeepers.
Present at this event were representatives from Civil Protection of Santa Maria da Feira, the Civil Protection of São João da Madeira, a representative from FENAPICOLA, and the association Nativa, highlighting the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders in protecting bees and combating the Asian hornet.