Isle of Wight residents are being urged to keep an eye out for Asian Hornets nesting or flying about locally, with the Island sitting within the so-called ‘danger zone’ for the foreign pests.
Asian Hornets have caused massive destruction to honey bees, pollinators and fruit growers across France over the last 10 years. They have a dark brown or black velvety body, a yellow or orange band on fourth segment of their abdomen and yellow tipped legs. They are smaller than the native European hornet, which is not a threat. They are not active at night.
To date, there have been 13 confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet across England and a total of 6 nests have been destroyed. 9 of these sightings occurred in 2018; including 2 in Hampshire last month alone.
Natural Enterprise, who host the Isle of Wight Local Action Group that aims to stop the spread of invasive non-native species, are working to raise awareness of the threat of the Asian Hornet.
It is crucial that members of the public report any possible sightings so that experts can take quick and effective action to eradicate Asian hornets.
If you think you’ve spot one, the sighting can be reported through here.
