Building a Trap for Asian Hornets Using a Bottle: An Outdated Method
Every spring in France, the return of the Asian hornet causes concern among beekeepers, gardeners, residents, and local officials. They can be found around hives, orchards, and also in cities, parks, and gardens. In spring, they build primary nests, and in autumn, secondary ones. To try and eliminate them, many people still build homemade traps using a bottle, some syrup, beer, or white wine. This is what’s called the Asian hornet bottle trap.
This DIY method seems simple, but it presents real problems:
The Limitations of the Bottle Trap
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Lack of selectivity: it attracts everything that flies — bees, butterflies, pollinating insects, even ladybugs.
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Plastic pollution: made from recovered plastic bottles, often PET, the trap becomes brittle from sun and rain, degrades, and releases microplastics into the environment.
An effective trap should not be judged by the number of catches, but by the relevance of what it catches.
Trapping should be selective… or not done at all.
Three Generations of Hornet Traps: Toward Greater Selectivity and Effectiveness
Generation 1: The Bottle Trap
Simple, improvised, and widespread, this type of trap may have played a role in the early stages of the invasion. But today, its lack of selectivity and environmental impact make it an outdated solution, incompatible with current ecosystem preservation efforts. It’s a solution to avoid.
Generation 2: Cage and Jar Traps
Since the arrival of the Asian hornet in 2004, techniques have evolved significantly. Cage-type traps have become more common. We played a part in this progression with the launch of the first cage trap with a jar in 2021. Designed by the Chalons brothers, it combines:
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A durable structure (glass + HDPE plastic)
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A reusable, easy-to-clean design that leaves no lingering odors
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Enhanced selectivity thanks to interchangeable nozzles depending on the season
This model has inspired many copies, though rarely of the same quality. Still, they are certainly better than a classic bottle trap.
Generation 3: Visual Traps
In 2025, a new step was taken with Ornetin UV. This trap features patented visual technology that reflects UV-A, blue, and green light — wavelengths perceived by hornets.
What’s new:
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Reflective UV technology: up to 80% more visible than a traditional trap
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Dual attraction: visual signal + liquid bait
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Biomimetic design: inspired by natural floral signals
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Seasonal nozzles: queens in spring, workers in summer
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Extended targeting: Vespa velutina and also Vespa orientalis
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Selective trapping: removable plugs to release non-target species
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Flexible installation: balcony, tree, apiary, etc.
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Universal compatibility: fits standard jars
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Durable materials: HDPE + glass = 100% reusable and washable
An Evolution Built with Users
Behind Ornetin UV is a truly collaborative effort. Since the first prototypes, each version has benefited from feedback and real-world experience from users — beekeepers, gardeners, professionals, and everyday people.
This active community, which goes far beyond the beekeeping world, played a key role in driving practical improvements — such as seasonal adaptability, hornet type targeting, and improved ergonomics for easier setup. Every piece of feedback, every photo, every suggestion helped to build a truly effective solution, tested and refined under real conditions.
Ornetin UV is therefore much more than a product: it’s the result of a collective dynamic in service of a common cause — protecting the bees.
Conclusion: The Bottle Trap for Asian Hornets Belongs to the Past
The Asian hornet bottle trap is a thing of the past: unreliable, non-selective, polluting. Modern solutions like Ornetin UV are born from experience, observation, innovation, and user dialogue.