Beekeepers to let fly against hornet invader
Task force aims to prevent savage honeybee predator gaining foothold in UK amid threat from abroad
BEEKEEPERS have set up a Home Guard-style task force to rid the UK of Asian hornets.
The invasive species is already wellestablished in European countries, and causes havoc to local bee populations, with one adult capable of consuming 50 honeybees in a day. Since 2016, there have been 17 confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet in England – including an unconfirmed sighting in Bristol in May – and nine nests have been destroyed. There are fears it could gain a foothold here, as France saw its first Asian hornet in 2004, and now has a well-established population.
The British Beekeepers Association has now set up a task force to identify and destroy them and their nests.
Lynn Ingram, a master beekeeper behind the efforts to protect Britain from hornets, told the BBC: “They are fantastically successful invaders. Honey colonies are like a supermarket for an Asian hornet. There are 50,000 bees there, so if you’re on the search for food, a hive is perfect. It’s important we’re ready. We can be a huge group keeping our eyes open for the Asian hornet.”
The association asking for groups of 15 members to work with a coordinator to help identify the hornets, with a regional communication network, so sightings can be quickly confirmed. They will also be taught to make “bait stations” full of honey to trap the hornets. The species is most likely to be found in numbers in southern
England after crossing the Channel from France, or imported accidentally in goods such as soil, plants and fruit.
The creatures are mostly black, with thin yellow stripes, orange faces and yellow legs. They are slightly smaller than the European hornet, and though they pose no more threat to the average human than a bee, they are predators and can decimate insect populations.
The 1.2-in insects wait outside hives and pounce on emerging workers, chopping them up alive so they can carry back the thorax of the slain honeybee and feed it to their young.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is trying to prevent an Asian hornet invasion through eradication of individuals and nests. The Government advises that Britons returning from countries with Asian hornet populations check their baggage for stowaways before going home.
Nicola Spence, Defra’s chief plant health officer, said: “We recognise the damage the Asian hornet can cause to honeybee colonies and other beneficial insects. If you think you’ve spotted one, report it through the Asian hornet app or online.”