Replication Data for Evaluating electric harps and muzzles to mitigate the impact of Vespa velutina nigrithorax at beehives

This open dataset presents the results of a field experiment designed to simultaneously assess the effectiveness of two physical mitigation measures—muzzles and electric harps—in reducing the impact of the invasive Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) on European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. The study was conducted in 2020 at an experimental apiary located in the municipality of Sant Miquel de Campmajor (northeastern Catalonia, Spain). The apiary comprised 36 beehives, arranged into 12 groups of three, each assigned to one of three treatments: electric harps, muzzles (protective screens), or unprotected controls. The colonies were monitored weekly over a ten-week period spanning the peak hornet predation season (late September to late November 2020). The data primarily documents Asian hornet abundance around the hives and honey bee foraging activity, the latter serving as a proxy for colony viability. In addition, the study evaluated whether these physical mitigation measures affected colony vigour parameters, by quantifying the amount of honey, pollen, and brood area in each hive at four different time points.