Asian Hornets

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Asian Hornets are an incredibly destructive invasive species, and specialise in preying on honey bee hives. The hornets ‘hawk’ the front of target bee hives, killing honey bees and feeding them to their young. One Asian Hornet alone can kill 60-90 honey bees per day, and dozens of them will ‘hawk’ a hive simultaneously decimating the bees, meaning it can be destroyed or irreparably weakened to the extent it can’t survive.

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I'm Lincolnshire Beekeepers Association’s Asian Hornet Coordinator. That means that if there is a sighting of an Asian Hornet nest in Lincolnshire, I'm responsible for assisting with identifying it so that DEFRA can take swift action. 

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Last year, I travelled to Jersey, where they have become established due to their close proximity to France, to help local volunteers track and destroy Asian Hornet nests. In a week, the team discovered and removed several nests. In 2019, a total of 83 nests were found on the Channel Island and without the extraordinary efforts of local beekeepers, beekeeping would be impossible on the island.

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Asian Hornets are also a threat to people, as their sting is very powerful so it could put an adult in hospital. Multiple stings from the Hornets have caused fatalities in Europe where they are now endemic.

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If you think you you've seen a nest, take a photo then report it. 

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