Page 24 - Simply Veg 1 2024

A closer look at Asian Hornets: plea to stay vigilant
VANESSA JONES FNVS
Around 2004, an accidental import, possibly a single mated female introduced the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) into Southern France from China, and it has spread through western European countries very rapidly. Since 2016 there have been incursions into the UK and if all are not dealt with the Asian hornets could establish
very quickly. However, until 2023 the incursions have been relatively few in number, but 2023 was a record year for Asian hornets in the UK.
At the date of writing (October 2023) there have been 65 Asian hornet nests found in 49 locations in the UK. In
addition, other locations are being actively monitored in response to credible sightings of Asian hornets. Nearly all the nests are
or disturb a nest. They are not generally aggressive towards people but an exception to this is when they perceive a threat to their nest.
Everyone needs to
learn how to recognise
this insect and raise
awareness with the wider
public and be able to assist the National Bee Unit to narrow its response to credible sightings. Asian hornets are slightly smaller than native European hornets, have yellow legs, an orange face and brown body
with one yellow stripe. Asian hornets
are straightforward to identify, especially with their dark thoraxes and yellow legs. However, the public frequently misidentify
of Guernsey where 14 nests had been discovered by early October 2023.
The life cycle of the Asian hornet is
such that it is only the mated queens that over-winter so Spring will be a crucial time to spot and deal with as many of these queens as possible. A single queen can
go on to raise a massive work force and then produce 300 plus new queens for the following year. As we are out and about
in our gardens and allotments can we
stay alert to the over wintered hibernating queens coming out of hibernation in early February and March usually to be seen feeding on camellia or other early flowering plants.
People who suspect they have seen an Asian hornet should report it immediately using the phone app ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ or the online reporting form: https://risc. brc.ac.uk/alert.php?species=asian_hornet
Also see NBU Asian hornet rolling news page for latest status: https:// www.nationalbeeunit.com/about-us/ beekeeping-news/2023-asian-hornet- rolling-updates/
Vanessa is giving a zoom talk on this topic on the 20th March, see the NVS website for details.
in the south and south- east with another two near Hull and in North Yorkshire. Whilst bee keeping will be affected this is very much not a bee keeping issue. It is a massive environmental issue as Asian hornets are indiscriminate in what they eat and will eat anything and have voracious appetites.
The help of the public is essential to spot the hornets. It is important to take care not to approach or disturb a nest
them because we are still unfamiliar with this hornet. This can be a major problem for the National Bee Unit and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology who have to triage thousands of sightings to find the few that are actual Asian hornets.
Many feel that inevitably this insect
in certain parts of the UK will have gone unnoticed or unreported and that the invading
All our pollinators will
be affected and as a
consequence if the
Asian hornets become
established there will inevitably be massive environmental knock-on effects.
insect will now be established in the UK. It may well be that there will be a change in Governmental policy before the 2024 season starts.
On the Channel Island of Jersey the number of nests discovered, at the date of writing (October 2023) was 270, almost double that of this time last year but it has been much quieter on the Channel Island
Asian hornet sightings in the UK are filtered by the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of Defra, and teams of bee inspectors deployed to track hornets back to their nests which are then destroyed. The help of the public is essential to spot the hornets.
It is important to take care not to approach
24 Simply Vegetables