The Malta Independent 1 October 2026, Thursday
View E-Paper

recent poll
Blogs & Opinions

news in pictures

events
Sports

Talks on next Chief Justice should continue immediately, Justice Minister says

Talks on who should be Malta's next Chief Justice should continue immediately, Justice Minister Clifton Grima has told The Malta Independent. Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti's term was meant to have...

latest comment from onDmove, 30/09/2026 08:28: I don't know why Dr Mark Chetcuti has not already left. Can't he realize that he is being used by the Labour government to put pressure on the PN? How much longer can this ridiculous and unfair situation go on, indefinitely?
  • Click to rate
  • 1
  • 0

‘Out of about 30 hives, only 3 may be salvageable’: beekeeper distraught after hornet attack

Full-time apiarist Denise Camilleri took to social media on Monday morning to share that oriental hornets have devastated her business' hives. She and other beekeepers are reiterating their appeal for...

latest comment from Joey Falzon, 30/09/2026 08:41: What an unfortunate situation. I have a roof garden and really enjoy seeing the bees coming around the flowers. However, I have also noticed a significant increase in hornets, and some of them are really big and quite frightening. I have placed a few traps and have already caught quite a number of them. I also recently discovered what appeared to be a hornet nest in the making, with larvae being developed inside an empty bamboo stick in my roof garden. I initially sprayed insecticide into the opening and then sealed the hole with silicone. This stopped the hornets from using it. I would really like to know how ordinary residents can help in a safe and effective way. If a proper national effort is organised, I believe that, with the help of residents across Malta and Gozo, we could collectively make a real difference in controlling the Oriental Hornet and protecting our honey bees. Could you please give us some clear, practical guidance on what residents can do at home, in our gardens and on our rooftops to assist you in this effort? In particular, it would be useful to know whether residents should be placing traps, what type of traps should be used and where they should be positioned, and how we can ensure that they target hornets without unnecessarily harming honey bees and other beneficial insects. It would also be helpful to know what we should do if we identify a hornet nest, who we should report it to, and whether there are any other simple measures residents can take to support the national effort. I believe that if residents are given clear guidance on what to do — and equally importantly, what not to do — many of us would be more than willing to contribute and help protect our honey bee population. 🐝
  • Click to rate
  • 1
  • 0
Business
More stories
loading