The annual Asian Hornet Week is back again from September 7th to 13th
The Asian hornet’s Latin name is Vespa velutina and it is a non-native invasive species that could decimate our pollinators if it gets established in this country. It is now well rooted in Jersey, France and northern Spain. Honeybees are a particular favourite food of the Asian hornet. Nests are mainly built high in trees but can be in hedges, bramble patches as well as in garages and eaves of buildings, etc.
In late summer and autumn Asian hornets begin to hang around hive entrances so as to catch foragers. They remove a bee’s head, wings etc so as to take the protein rich thorax back to their nests to feed to the new potential Asian hornet queen and drone larvae. As well as honeybees adult Asian hornets also feed on fruit on and under trees and bushes. Be careful, Asian hornets can be aggressive and have very nasty stings.
SEE IT! SNAP IT! SEND IT!
As part of Asian Hornet Week we ask beekeepers to put an hour aside every day to check their hives for hornets hanging in the air around the entrance - a behaviour known as hawking. We want people to keep their eyes open for them too. See it! Snap it! Send it! So use your mobile to take a photo and download the Asian Hornet Watch app to help you identify what you’ve seen and to report it to the Non-native Species authority.
To download the app, select the model and click on the link:
For more information on Asian Hornet Week visit www.bbka.org.uk