There has been a confirmed sighting of the Asian hornet in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire
The National Bee Unit has confirmed a sighting of the Asian hornet in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire – the first time the hornet has been discovered in the UK.
The Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than a bee. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees.
Work to identify, destroy and remove any nests is already underway, which includes:
- setting up a 3 mile surveillance zone around Tetbury
- opening a local control centre to coordinate the response
- deploying bee inspectors across the area who will use infrared cameras and traps to locate any nests
- readying nest disposal experts who will use pesticides to kill the hornets and destroy any nests
Useful identification aids can be found by clicking image above or here
SBA Bee Health Officer Gavin Ramsay says there is no immediate threat to honey bees in Scotland but the confirmation of this pest in the UK is a serious cause for concern.
At this stage we are uncertain how far north this pest will thrive.