The UK's Chief Plant Health
Officer Nicola Spence is today (Monday 20 May) urging UK
beekeepers and the public to be increasingly vigilant to the
presence of Asian hornet and report any sightings as we move into
the peak summer season.
The Asian hornet poses no
greater risk to human health than our native wasps and hornets.
However, they do pose a risk to honey bees and insect
pollinators.
Asian hornets are distinctive
and can be identified by their very dark body, wide orange stripe
on the fourth abdomen section and yellow leg ends. They are much
larger in size than our native hornets. But yellow-legged Asian
hornets are smaller than European hornets. The average for Asian
hornet workers is 25mm as opposed to 30mm for the European
hornet. Any sightings can be made via the Asian Hornet Watch
App.
The warning comes after 2023
saw a record number of Asian hornets found in the UK. The Animal
and Plant Health Agency's National Bee Unit attended every
credible sighting, locating and destroying 72 nests in 56
locations with the majority of nests found in Kent. The National
Bee Unit continues to stand ready to respond quickly and
effectively to any further possible sightings.
The National Bee Unit continues
to take action to eradicate the Asian hornet in the UK, and this
spring rolled out trapping in areas where there was an increased
risk that Asian hornet queens may have overwintered. The traps,
which have the means to allow non-target invertebrates to escape,
have been set at locations across Kent, East Sussex, Devon and
North Yorkshire.
Asian hornets are not yet
established in the UK. Early trapping is a key part of our
surveillance for this invasive species and fundamental to our
eradication efforts.
Defra's
Chief Plant and Bee Health Officer Nicola Spence
said:
“By ensuring we are alerted to
possible sightings as early as possible, the public can help
us take swift and effective action to stamp out the threat
posed by Asian hornets.
“While the Asian hornet poses
no greater risk to human health than other wasps or hornets, they
can damage honey bee colonies and harm other
pollinators.
“Please continue to be vigilant
for any Asian hornets and if you think you've spotted one, report
your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online.
If you suspect
you have seen an Asian hornet you should report this using the
iPhone and Android app ‘Asian Hornet Watch' or by using
our online report form.
Alternatively, e-mail alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk. Please
include a photograph if you can safely obtain one.
Identification guides
and more information are available and if you keep bees
you should keep up to date with the latest situation on
the gov.uk sightings
page and
on BeeBase.
It is important
to take care not to approach or
disturb a nest. Asian hornets are not generally aggressive
towards people but an exception to this is when they perceive a
threat to their nest.
This announcement coincides
with the start of Chelsea Flower Show, where Defra is hosting an
interactive exhibit highlighting the spread of Asian hornet and
the risks to our honey bees and wild pollinators with the aim of
raising awareness of the Asian hornet amongst gardeners and the
industry.
Further
information:
- The Great Britain Non-native Species Secretariat is a joint
venture between Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh
Government to tackle the threat of invasive species. More
information can be found on their website.
- For details on the appearance of an Asian hornet, please
refer to the BeeBase guide or
the non-native species identification
guide.
