A structured citizen-led initiative
Reporting, monitoring and coordination — close to field realities.
Vespa Alert™ Belgium is a citizen-led initiative dedicated to the reporting, monitoring and understanding of Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) presence in Belgium.
Our objective is to provide a clear entry point for the public and to improve information flow between citizens, beekeepers, volunteers, professionals and public authorities — in order to increase the effectiveness of actions on the ground.
How the project started
Centralise, structure, collaborate — from day one.
Vespa Alert Belgium was initiated by Maxime Dartois, a soil pollution expert and an environmental professional engaged in risk management and field operations.
Faced with the concrete impacts of the Asian hornet on the ground — especially around apiaries — he observed a strong fragmentation of information: reports scattered across channels, heterogeneous tools from one municipality to another, no consolidated overview, and limited continuity in nest follow-up.
To build the platform in a pragmatic way and aligned with real constraints, he connected with several active field groups, including Vespa Hunters. Their feedback (reporting workflows, follow-up methods, operational constraints) helped prioritise useful features and keep the platform focused on day-to-day usability.
In response, he designed Vespa Alert Belgium as a national reporting platform, built from the outset to:
- centralise data;
- structure information into usable datasets;
- support collaboration between citizens, beekeepers, volunteers, professionals and public authorities.
A platform that keeps evolving
Continuous improvement, field feedback, next steps.
Vespa Alert Belgium is not a static tool. The platform evolves to match field realities, expressed needs, and regional frameworks. Feedback from users and partners drives improvements.
Strengthen coordination, improve seasonal monitoring, consolidate exports and traceability, and develop features useful to municipalities and professional stakeholders — while keeping the citizen journey simple.
Vespa Alert™ is a registered word mark filed with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP). Any reproduction, use or imitation without authorisation is prohibited.