Asian hornets could be here to stay in the UK after DNA tests confirmed they have survived the winter for the first time.
The invasive species, which has a scientific name velutina waspdismembers and eats bees and poses a threat to pollinators and local ecosystems.
They are thriving in France and there have been increasing reports in recent years of sightings in southern England.
Earlier this month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said there was no solid evidence that the wasps remained here over winter.
But tests carried out by the government-backed National Bee Unit (NBU) have shown that three queen wasps captured in Four Oaks, East Sussex, are descendants of a nest destroyed in nearby Rye in November 2023 – suggesting the wasps are playing in the UK. .
However, the NBU said it would need evidence of a population of creatures breeding for a “significant” number of generations before classifying them as naturalized in the UK.
What to do if you see an Asian hornet
- The Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet, with adult workers measuring from 25 mm in length and queens measuring 30 mm.
- The abdomen is almost entirely black, except for the fourth abdominal segment which has a yellow stripe. It has characteristically yellow legs, which explains why it is often called the yellow-legged wasp and its face is orange with two brownish-red compound eyes.
- If you think you have seen an Asian hornet, notify the Great British Non Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) immediately. In the first instance, sightings should be reported via the free Asian Hornet Watch app, available to Android It is iPhone
- Whenever possible, a photograph, the location of the sighting and a description of the insect seen should be included.
- If you want to learn more about the Asian hornet or any other invasive species, the NNSS website provides a wealth of information about the extensive work being done to combat invasive species and tools to facilitate those working in this area
Source: National Bee Unit
The presence of the wasps was first confirmed in France in 2004, when they were found in the southwest region of Lot-et-Garonne.
They are believed to have been imported in a ceramic shipment from China and later spread to various regions of France.
In 2016, the Asian hornet was first discovered in the UK in Tetbury. The nest was found and destroyed after 10 days of intense searches by authorities.
But there have been subsequent sightings with action taken to find and destroy nests.
In 2023 alone, the NBU said it destroyed 72 nests across 56 sites, with the majority affected in Kent.
Eight sightings have been reported in the UK so far this year, including three within a week in May. Most were seen in East Sussex and Kent.
All of the wasps found likely belong to the European population rather than a new incursion from Asia, the NBU added.
The wasps are, however, established in Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Jersey.
They prey on a wide range of insects, including bees, and disrupt the ecological role they play.
It has also altered biodiversity in the regions of France where it is present and could pose a health risk to those allergic to wasp or wasp stings.
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