Asian Hornet warning as experts on mission to 'track, locate and destroy'

A fresh warning has been spread for people to watch out if they spot a certain insect.

As the weather is (hopefully) starting to warm up, people will be out enjoying the outdoors once again. But, they have been warned to watch out for a dangerous insect that could be flying about.

A sting from an Asian Hornet will be painful and may result in anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening, but is treatable if action is taken quickly. The real threat, however, goes well beyond a nasty sting.

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A spokesperson for the British Beekeepers Association said: "Put simply, [Asian Hornets] have the capacity to wreak havoc on our wildlife in the UK through their destruction of honey bee colonies and their predation on a number of other insect species. Their habit of hovering outside bee hives stops the bees from going out to collect nectar and pollen to feed themselves.

"Just one nest of hornets can consume up to around 11kg of insects in a year. By now, most people are aware of just how important pollinators are to our own health and wellbeing, and the security of our food chain.

"This could have huge consequences on our wider ecology, with many beekeepers calling it the greatest threat to our native pollinators in a generation. There’s concern that the increasing numbers of yellow-legged Asian hornets could pose a significant risk to public health too.

"While one hornet alone is unlikely to cause a problem, they can be aggressively defensive of their nests, which can be built low to the ground and in hedgerows and brambles, meaning disturbances by unsuspecting individuals could have dangerous consequences. In the same way you wouldn’t mess with a wasps’ nest, it’s best not to come into contact with Asian hornet nests either."

The Beekeepers Association shared that, by 2022, just 16 Asian hornet nests had been discovered in the UK but this skyrocketed in 2023 to 72 nests in 56 different locations from the south coast and as far north as Scotland. The ECHO previously mapped where the pests had been spotted across the UK.

The spokesperson added: "There have already been confirmed sightings in March this year, a month earlier than in previous years, raising fears that they could become established here without an effort on an unprecedented scale to track, locate and destroy nests.

"Slightly smaller than native European hornets, Asian hornets are black with an orange face, a thin yellow band near the middle and a broader orange/yellow band around their abdomen, near the tail. The most distinguishing characteristic is their bright yellow legs, like they’ve been dipped in a pot of yellow paint – hence the name.

"Look high and low, and if you think you see a yellow-legged Asian hornet, be sure to report it. Download the official Asian Hornet Watch app from your app store, and log any sightings, along with a photo if possible.

"It’s available for both Android and iPhone devices. Experts from the Government’s National Bee Unit (NBU) will then be able to identify if there’s a nest nearby, and if so, destroy it. If you think you see these insects coming and going from a nest – keep your distance! Stay at least 10 metres away to keep yourself safe."

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