Watch out for Asian hornet

SCIENTISTS are asking the public to report sightings of the Asian hornet, which could be on the rise in the UK.

The Asian hornet has an all-dark body except for the fourth segment, which is yellow. It is a predator of such invertebrates as the honey bee. It arrived in France in 2005 and spread to Spain in 2010. The first Asian hornet was recorded in the UK in September 2016 in Tetbury, Glos.

Prof Helen Roy, from The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: “Early warning of non-native species that have the potential to threaten biodiversity is extremely important.”

Sightings can be reported on a free Asian Hornet Watch app launched by Lord Gardiner, the minister for rural affairs and biosecurity, during Invasive Species Week and also through the Biological Records Centre website or by emailing alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk Samantha Herbert