What’s the latest on the Asian hornet?
Last September saw the UK’s first confirmed record of the Asian hornet, spotted in Gloucestershire. The National Bee Unit responded swiftly, locating and destroying the nest, and it is therefore hoped that the species has been eradicated. However, it will be vital to be on the lookout for it throughout spring as insects begin to emerge from hibernation. As with other social insects, the colony would last just one season, and only the queens would survive the winter. The Asian hornet was first reported from France in 2005, so it was only a matter of time before it arrived in the UK. The species is smaller than the native European hornet and poses no greater risk to humans than a bee, but it does threaten honeybees, on which it feeds. Asian hornets are relatively easy to recognise, but can be confused with the hornet mimic hoverfly and European hornet. Helen Roy To report a sighting, download the Asian Hornet Watch app.