Page 34 - ALG Issue 2 2019

Please watch out for the Asian Hornet!
Vespa velutina, the yellow legged hornet, commonly known as the Asian hornet, is native to Asia and was confirmed for the first time in the South West of France in 2004. It was thought to have been imported from China and it quickly established and spread to many regions of France. The hornet preys on honeybees, apis mellifera, and disrupts the ecological role which it provides and damages commercial beekeeping activities. In 2016, the Asian hornet was discovered in the UK for the first time. To date, there have been 13 confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet in England and six nests have been destroyed. Nine of these sightings
occurred in 2018; an individual hornet in Lancashire (April) and Hull, three in Cornwall, two in Hampshire, one in Surrey (all September) and the latest in Kent (October).
Monitoring for arrival of the Asian hornet is strongly encouraged throughout the UK, but especially in areas where likelihood of arrival is considered to be highest (South & South East of England). The BBKA and the Bee Base strongly encourage that all beekeepers monitor for the Asian hornet. If you think you have seen an Asian hornet, please notify the Great British Non-Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) immediately www.
When a sighting is confirmed, experts will work quickly to find and destroy any active nests in the area
nonnativespecies.org. In the first instance sightings should be reported through the free Asian Hornet Watch App, available for Android and iPhone. Other methods of reporting the hornet also include using the NNSS online notification form. Finally, you can
send any suspect sightings to the Non-Native Species email address alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk. Where possible, a photo, the location of the sighting and a description of the insect seen should be included. When a sighting is confirmed, experts from the National Bee Unit (NBU) and
the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will work quickly to find and destroy any active nests in the area.
IDENTIFYING THE ASIAN HORNET
Asian Hornet European Hornet
Asian Hornet abdomen is almost entirely dark except for 4th abdominal segment.
Photos credit: NNSS
ASIAN HORNET QUEEN
Queens up to 30mm; workers up to 25mm long.
Abdomen black/brown bordered with a fine yellow band
Entirely dark brown or black velvety body
Asian hornet ‘hawking’ for honeybee prey
Legs brown with characteristic yellow ends
Photos from: J. Haxaire, Rachel Scopes, Nigel Jones and Richard Ball
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34 Allotment and Leisure Gardener