Beware the Asian Hornet!

Lucy Brill is a beekeeper local to Dorking and a member of Reigate Beekeeping Association who are trying to raise awareness of the Asian hornet which saw an unprecedented increase in numbers last year in the UK.

The Asian hornet, Vespa velutina, is an insect native to Asia but was inadvertently introduced into the south west of France in 2004 in a consignment of garden pottery imported from China.  It is now established throughout much of France and Europe including the Channel Islands.  Since 2016 a number of sightings have been recorded in the UK but last year saw an unprecedented rise in its numbers. Nearly eighty nests were found and destroyed here, mainly in the Kent area and near or around the coast, probably transported across the water via various methods of transport or even taking advantage of a good prevailing wind perhaps.

Asian hornet Queens hibernate over winter and emerge around this time of year, when the weather begins to warm up.  Earlier in March the first sighting in the UK this year was confirmed in Ash, Kent, and two more credible sightings have since been reported.

The Asian Hornet is a voracious predator. As well as feeding on fruit and flowers, it hunts a wide range of insect pollinators and particularly our honey bees as they are easy to locate.  It has been estimated that a single Asian hornet nest can consume 11.3 kg of insects over its late-summer lifetime.  This invasive species represents a very real threat to our ecological balance and biodiversity and will increase the pressure on our native insect population which is already in decline.

The Asian hornet can become aggressive in defending its nest and it is advised that you keep at least five metres from a nest.

They want to raise awareness of this invasive pest by helping the public recognise it and report any suspected sightings, which can be done easily by downloading an App or contacting specific organisations, details for all of which are here.