Asian hornet worker © National Bee Unit
Identifying Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) is easy once you know what you are looking for.
The image below shows that the Asian hornet is nearly entirely black, with a velvety body. The abdomen is black except for the one very wide orange stripe on the fourth segment and a few fine yellow bands. The legs look like they’ve been dipped in yellow paint and the face is orange.
©GB NNSS
The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is a predatory wasp native to Asia. Asian hornets are an Alert Species meaning that potential sightings need to be reported as soon as possible to prevent their establishment in Great Britain.
If you see an Asian hornet, do not attempt to capture or destroy their nests. Report sightings by using the Asian Hornet Watch app on Android and iPhone or you can report sightings online here.
The first sighting of the Asian hornet in Great Britain was confirmed by the National Bee Unit in September 2016 in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire. 2023 was the worst year for the incursion of Asian hornets with 72 nests found in 56 locations across 10 counties in England primarily along the South Coast of England (as of 17th of November 2023). To keep up-to-date with sightings please check the National Bee Unit website.
Asian hornets prey on insects, including pollinators, and spiders and they will also eat small mammal carcasses. They are a significant threat to bee colonies and other native species.
On January 24th 2024, the National Bee Unit notified the British Beekeepers Association that they had received a creditable sighting of a lone Asian hornet in Hastings, East Sussex. Asian hornet queens generally emerge come March when the weather is milder to build a primary nest. Potentially with a milder January, an Asian hornet queen had emerged early but being vigilant in that area is important to understand what is going on.
If you see an Asian hornet, do not attempt to capture or destroy their nests. Report sightings by using the Asian Hornet Watch app on Android and iPhone or you can report sightings online here.
You can keep up-to-date with sightings by checking the National Bee Unit website.
©The British Beekeeper Association
Predominantly, the vast majority of the nests were found on the South coast of England, but being vigilant and prepared in Wales helps us protect our biodiversity.
We only have to take a cautionary look at the island of Jersey’s incursion of Asian hornets to make us more aware of what could happen over the next couple of years. The first Asian hornet was spotted on Jersey in 2016. By 2019 there were 83 nests across Jersey. 2022 saw that record grow to 174 nests found, but in 2023 there was a total of 335 nests found.
The number of sightings could have increased from 2016 due to in 2017 the Jersey Asian Hornet Group formed. The group was made up of six beekeepers who were concerned by the sightings of the Asian hornet, and the group is growing year after year with an increase in experience and equipment to deal with the invasive species.
Overall, there is a feeling that they are established on the island with the first time an over-wintering active nest was found on the 1st of January 2024 due to the mild winter. The over-wintering nest was captured and monitored in a closed-lab environment to increase the knowledge of the species.
©DEFRA
By looking at Jersey we can prepare for the potential incursion of Asian hornets. With appropriate monitoring and educating of the public and beekeepers to report any potential sighting on the Asian Hornet Watch App or the National Bee Unit Webpage, we can prepare a rapid response to any incursion of the Asian hornet. With this, we can hopefully avoid the incursion which is occurring in Jersey happening in Wales.
The Asian hornet has yet to be spotted in Wales. Nonetheless, with the increase of activity in England it could be just a matter of time before we get our first sighting in Wales.
If you see an Asian hornet, do not attempt to capture or destroy their nests. Report sightings by using the Asian Hornet Watch app on Android and iPhone or you can report sightings online here.
You can keep up-to-date with sightings by checking the National Bee Unit website.
If you would like more information on how to identify similar species, learn more about the behaviour and report sightings of Asian hornets our blog A potential sting has more information.
