Asian Hornets Alert!!!
Beware for Asian Hornets
Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) are making appearances in the UK. Sighted and captures in Gloucestershire at Tetbury last September 2016 - Caught and nest destroyed. Another siting north of the Mendip Hills in North Somerset a bit later, dealt with, and more recently in Scotland Last week (17th March 2017) at a Tesco warehouse.
As with Bees and Wasps, the Asian Hornet is starting to nest build and lay eggs. The Queen like other wasps, will have hibernated over winter and she will raise the first batch on her own. When her workers are old enough they will swarm to a new nest site, where pretty much there is a population explosion.
Spring is the time of the year to fine new nesting Queens and destroy the nests - THESE HORNETS ARE NOTHING LIKE NORMAL WASPS AND HORNETS - THEY ARE DANGEROUS!!!
Unlike European Hornets, Asian Hornets can kill you and hurt. Unlike Bees, Hornets DO NOT die when they sting or lose their sting. If you see an Asian Hornet, you need to report it to FERA Here
"Where to report sightings of Asian hornets and send in samples: -
If you think you have seen an Asian hornet, please notify the Great British Non Native Species Secretariat alert email address at alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk immediately. Additionally, you can report sightings on their website. As well as this function, the website provides a great deal of information about the wide ranging work that is being done to tackle invasive species and tools to facilitate those working in this area."
"Description
Hornet Watch is an app designed to help the early detection of Asian Hornet in the UK following the first confirmed record in September 2016. Asian Hornet is a non-native species within the UK and could have a serious impact on our native insects and honeybees so early detection is important. There are a number of native insects in the UK that look very similar, and are common and widespread. Records of these species are equally welcome to help map their distribution and Hornet Watch provides an identification guide to help determine which species you have seen. Please do include a photograph with your record if possible to help us confirm the identity of the species."
Apparently there is a new App for spotting Asian Hornet Watch Links to the side
Asian - European Hornet Hornet
