Asian hornets have been spotted in Yorkshire as sightings of the invasive species reach their highest in years.
The insects were spotted in Hull for the first time in five years after a nest was discovered and destroyed in the city on September 14. This was the first time the species was spotted in Hull since a dead insect was found in September 2018.
There has also been a confirmed sighting in Yarm, North Yorkshire. This comes as there have been 39 sightings this year, more than in the past seven years combined. The species prey on honeybees and can wipe out entire colonies which can have serious consequences for bee populations and crop production in the UK.
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Most sightings have been on the South Coast, particularly in Kent. A nest was found in London for the first time on August 22 as well as the nest in Hull.
It is believe the hornets have arrived by being blown on the wind or in shipping containers. The British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) is so concerned about the possibility of Asian hornets becoming established in the UK they have launched an advertising campaign on the side of buses, calling on the public to help root out the pest.
BBKA chair Diane Drinkwater said: “It is very concerning. The overall number of sightings is massive when compared to previous years.
“I’m very concerned about the sightings in the North and that should send a message to beekeepers that it is not just on the South Coast where we need to be vigilant. Some of them could have blown in on the wind but it highlights the other ways they can arrive and I think a lot of the hornets have come from ports.
“I don’t think they are established yet. But the risk is if we miss a nest there will be new queens next year – and that will be catastrophic.”
Autumn is the peak season for Asian hornets with the bulk of sightings last year in September and October. Thirty sightings this year have taken place in Kent with seven in Folkestone.
There have also been sightings in Devon, Dorset, Sussex, Hampshire, London, as well as Northumberland and Hull. None have yet been confirmed in Wales or Scotland.
The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) says 46 nests have been destroyed so far this year. A single Asian hornet, described as the “lion of the insect world”, can devour up to 50 honey bees at a time.
One hornet nest can contain up to 6,000 workers and 350 queens.
More than 1,000 beekeepers across the country are part of elite teams trained to provide emergency support to the National Bee Unit’s (NBU) hornet hunters. Hornet sightings are filtered by the NBU, part of Defra, and teams of bee inspectors deployed to track hornets back to their nests which are then destroyed. But experts are also calling on the public to help root out the pest.
Asian hornets look like large, black wasps with yellow legs, an orange face, and an orange band on the body. They are slightly smaller than native European hornets which are almost entirely yellow.
They were first sighted in the UK at Tetbury, Gloucestershire in September, 2016. Since then, as of September 18, there have been 62 confirmed sightings including a total of 58 nests discovered, all of which were destroyed.
Writing in a blog earlier this month, Rebekah Clarkson from the National Bee Unit said: “In August 2023, the NBU found and destroyed a record number of nests in England. We even received two reports of two insects travelling on the Cherbourg-Poole ferry – one in spring and one in summer.
“Normally, nests found low are ‘primary’ nests, and nests found higher in trees are ‘secondary’ nests. A queen starts a primary nest, but if the nest outgrows its position, or is disturbed, they may also build a higher, safer, warmer secondary nest. After the NBU locates a nest, we destroy it and then monitor for Asian hornets until no hornets are seen for five consecutive days. If Asian hornets continue to be caught, we continue our monitoring to check if another nest is present.”
You can find out more information on reporting and spotting Asian hornets here.
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