Asian Hornet Watch - new app launched to help people quickly and easily report sightings of this invasive species.
The nation’s smartphones are the latest weapon in the fight to prevent the spread of the Asian hornet, thanks to a new app which has been launched today.
People will be able to use the free app - called Asian Hornet Watch - to quickly and easily report possible sightings of the invasive species and send pictures of suspect insects to experts at the National Bee Unit.
While Asian hornets pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, they are a threat to our native honey bees, which is why it is important to quickly contain them.
By using the eyes and ears of smartphone users, we can more quickly identify any Asian hornet nests in the UK and eradicate them before they have the opportunity to spread.
The ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app is available to download from the Apple and Android app stores.
The Great Britain Non-native Species Secretariat is a joint venture between Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government to tackle the threat of invasive species.
More information can be found on their website http://www.nonnativespecies.org/home/index.cfm
Members of the public can also report sightings by email to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk with a photo or on the Non-native Species Secretariat website.
For details on the appearance of an Asian hornet please can be found on Bee Base guide or the non-native species identification guide.