We have NOT seen any Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) in Heene Cemetery (nor European hornets for that matter), but we should be prepared for seeing some sooner or later.
We are used to seeing hornets in Britain, but they have traditionally been the European hornet (Vespa crabro). Asian hornets are indigenous to south-east Asia but have become an invasive species (one that “has arrived, thrives and does damage” – see a separate post on this subject). The first one in Britain was found in Gloucestershire in 2016, and a complete nest of them was found (and destroyed) in Newhaven this August. There have been 76 confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet in the UK in 2023 (so far). (You can check these sightings on the government’s DEFRA website.)
These hornets are not a substantial risk to people – although you’d absolutely want to avoid being stung by them (and by the European hornet). A single sting is not substantially worse than the sting of a honeybee. However, they pose a major predatory threat to our native insects, especially to the honeybee. When Asian hornets find a honeybee colony, they adopt a ‘hawking’ behaviour and set about picking bees off singly, one after the other. They have the ability to kill complete colonies of honeybees.
This predatory behaviour means that identifying and reporting the presence of Asian hornets has become necessary. Two apps have been developed to help with this. The Asian Hornet Watch app has been developed by the Great Britain Non-native Species Secretariat and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. There is a version for Android devices and a separate one for Apple devices. Both versions have identification keys and enable users to upload photographs that they think might be of an Asian hornet. If the team behind the app believe that your photo is of an Asian hornet, bee inspectors from the National Bee Unit will try to track it down (using the geolocation data you send). Members of the public are being encouraged to participate and report their sightings wherever possible.
These hornets are active between April and November, with their peak activity being in August and September.
Surprisingly, Asian hornets are smaller, darker and less yellow than European hornets. The UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency uses the following graphic to help people distinguish an Asian Hornet from a European one, or a wasp or a honeybee:
Think you’ve seen an Asian hornet? Report it!, the UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Hornets are distinctive, especially with their prominent stings. Compare the above image with this photograph of a smaller Hornet Mimic hoverfly, which neither bites nor stings, and is a harmless pollinator:
Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Heene Cemetery, October 2023.
And compare these to the Common Wasp and the Honeybee, both of which are much smaller than a hornet (of either type):
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris), Heene Cemetery, August 2020.
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Heene Cemetery, July 2022.
There is no reason to panic about the increasing presence of the Asian hornet in Britain, but we do need to play an active role in reporting it if we want to help defend the honeybee against its aggression.
Links and further reading
- Identifying hornets (The Wildlife Trusts website)
- Asian hornet (Wikipedia)
- Asian hornet sightings recorded since 2016 (UK government – DEFRA website)
- New app to report Asian hornet sightings (GOV.UK website)
- Hunting for the Asian hornet (GOV.UK Animal and Plant Health Agency Science Blog)
- Asian Hornet Watch (Google Play)
- Asian Hornet Watch (Apple App Store)