Reimagining Venom Harvesting: Practical Electrostimulation on Vespa velutina Nest in Nature

The growing interest in Vespa velutina venom stems primarily from its impact on human health due to stings and its potential pharmacological applications. Traditionally, venom extraction methods have relied on capturing individual hornets or removing and euthanizing entire nests, followed by dissect...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Feás, Xesús, Cabadas, Daniel J., Vidal Pan, Carmen
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC)
Repositorio:Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:minerva.usc.gal:10347/46296
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46296
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Allergy
Asian hornet
Electrostimulation
Field research
Invasive species
Non-invasive techniques
One Health
Venom extraction
Vespa velutina
Descripción
Sumario:The growing interest in Vespa velutina venom stems primarily from its impact on human health due to stings and its potential pharmacological applications. Traditionally, venom extraction methods have relied on capturing individual hornets or removing and euthanizing entire nests, followed by dissection of venom sacs—a labor-intensive and disruptive process. In this work, we present a novel, non-invasive approach to venom harvesting. Using a portable electrostimulation device, venom was extracted directly from active Vespa velutina nests in their natural habitat. This method eliminates the need for nest manipulation, significantly reducing disturbance and improving efficiency. These visuals highlight the practicality and potential of this groundbreaking technique, opening new avenues for sustainable and scalable venom collection.