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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS If you had €8 ,500 to support Malta's youth, what would you do? One idea can change the future. Submissions must come from a registered charity by October 28 th . To celebrate our 70 th Anniversary, Argus Insurance is hosting a competition to let you decide! Share your ideas today at OurFutureIsYou.com for a chance to help shape the #Next70 years. KARL AZZOPARDI TO the relief of entomophobes, as colder days start setting in, the insects we love to hate start crawling back into their under- ground hiding spots. But while summer creepy crawlies re- treat, Malta is still facing two very antag- onizing species of insects – the Oriental Hornet and the Termite. In the last month or so, people have reported increased sightings of the infa- mous Vespa Orientalis, or the Oriental Hornet (Żunżan Bagħal) in both public and secluded species. Speaking to MaltaToday, pest extermi- nator Arnold Sciberras said the Oriental Hornet is now found in the Mediterra- nean basin, the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, India and Madagascar. However, due to human introduction, its habitat has spread to South America up to Mexico. It is indigenous to the Maltese islands. The hornet, reddish brown in colour with a distinctive yellow discoloration on its head and abdomen, starts appearing at around May all through to October. Arnold Sciberras said the Oriental Hor- net's temperament is aggressive while also being a predator. "It can kill large insects like grasshoppers and the high- ly beneficial honey bee. Some have also been recorded attacking bird and mice nests. The bee can be sometimes be seen stalking public areas for human food." Sciberras said that this year alone he has tended to as much as 3,766 hornet nests, each with populations varying between 30 to around 400 hornets. The pest exterminator also warned of its very painful sting, with sting victims urged to seek medical attention. An urti- carial rash, facial swelling and difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath and wheez- ing can occur. Victims have also reported low blood pressure and a fast heartbeat. He also said that unlike the honey bee's stinger, the hornet's stinger is not barbed, and therefore can attack multiple times when triggered. When a hornet is threat- ened, it releases pheromones from its body, mobilizing the rest of the nest to attack. Attacks can also be triggered by perfumes and other volatile chemicals when the hornets mistake the scent for pheromones. People who spot a hornet invasion should never approach the nest, and are advised to seek professional help. Another pest which has swept the is- land is the termite, according to Sciber- ras. "Locally most people are unaware that we even have termites. In fact, they were of such minor importance they were classified in layman's terms just as 'susa', which in Maltese refers to any insect that in one of its life stages attacks live or dead wood." If left unchecked termites can have dev- astating effects and turn a property into ruins, according to Sciberras. Up to 10 years ago he recorded around 250 colo- nies mostly in the north-west of Malta, but in the past seven years, they have spread in so many areas that is impossible to keep track anymore. Termites are weak and relatively fragile insects that need to stay moist to survive. When exposed they can be easily over- powered and devoured by at least three species of local ants and other predators. They avoid these perils by covering their trails with tubing made of feces, plant matter, saliva and soil. They can therefore remain out of sight for a long period of time. Termites do not limit themselves to wood and also damage paper, cloth, car- pets and other cellulosic materials. Two species are known to exist locally at pres- ent: The garden termite (Kalotermes Fla- vicollis) and the damp wood termite (Re- ticulitermes Lucifugus), the latter being the main household pest. A third species is being studied by the exterminator, who said that they can not only travel through loose ground but can also dig through rock and concrete if need be. This theory was confirmed this year when more aggressive behaviour and household invasion was noted. "While termites do not pose any phys- ical danger to humans, the damage they can cause can be extensive and irrepara- ble," Sciberras warned. Invasion alert: aggressive hornet's spread in Malta is growing Pests of the Maltese islands: 3,766 Oriental Hornet nests recorded in 2020 alone, as exterminator warns of invasion Horrible stinger: top, the Asian Hornet; below, a termite infestation wreaking havoc