Invasive Asian hornets — Vespa velutina — have established a foothold in Britain, posing a severe threat to native pollinators, particularly honeybees.
Measuring around 25mm long with distinctive yellow legs and a black velvety thorax, these predators can decimate insect populations, with a single colony capable of killing up to 90,000 pollinators in a season.
As their name suggests, Asian hornets are not naturally found in Europe. Interestingly, experts believe the current European population of the Asian hornets descended from a lone fertilised queen that arrived in France through a shipment of Chinese pottery in 2004, with the species now present across 15 European nations — Britain included.
First officially detected in Britain in 2016, their spread has prompted urgent efforts to control their numbers.
It is important to mention that this dry and hot weather is also acting as a catalyst for the boom in the hornet’s population.
Last year’s wet weather temporarily slowed their expansion, with nest sightings dropping from 72 in 2023 to 24 in 2024. However, DNA evidence has confirmed for the first time that the species had successfully bred and overwintered in the UK. Experts now warn that this year’s dry spring and the hornet’s rapid spread across Europe could lead to a resurgence.
The British island of Jersey which is geographically closer to France than mainland Britain, has reported an unusually early surge in Asian hornet activity, with 262 queens detected by mid-April — a 1,090 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. If this trend continues, the UK could face record infestations in 2024.
The Asian hornet is a voracious predator, with a single nest consuming over 11 kg of insects per season — equivalent to around 90,000 bees. Their presence has already caused significant damage in Europe, where they were accidentally introduced to France in 2004. Since then, they have spread to 15 countries, with France alone hosting over 500,000 nests.
The economic toll includes estimated annual losses of €30.8 million in France due to reduced honey production and bee colony collapses. Portugal and Italy have seen honey yields drop by 35 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.
A recent study by the University of Exeter found that Asian hornets prey on at least 1,400 different species, including vital crop pollinators such as the European honeybee and bumblebees.
Authorities have urged the citizens to report sightings through the Asian Hornet Watch app or the UKCEH online tool. Identifying features include yellow legs, an orange abdominal band, and a dark thorax. Early detection is critical, as each nest destroyed delays further establishment.
The UK’s National Bee Unit has been actively locating and destroying nests since 2016. Without these efforts, models suggest the hornets would already be widespread across England and Wales, with Scotland at risk. However, new queens continue arriving from Europe, making eradication an ongoing challenge.
The Asian hornet represents a major ecological and economic threat to the UK. While containment efforts have so far prevented large-scale establishment, the public’s role in reporting sightings remains vital.
Without sustained vigilance, this invasive species could cause irreversible harm to Britain’s pollinators and ecosystems.