Asian hornet closer to UK shores

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina ) has been identified in Alderney, of the channel islands.

This species of hornet is non native and major threat to our honey bee colonies. They are a highly effective predator of insects including honey bees. After a hornet scout has located a honey bee nest it will leave a pheromone to let other workers know a nest is here, which in turn they will " Hawk a nest " this is when the hornets wait outside the nest and attack the bee's defending defending the nest which they then butcher and take back parts of the bee's body to feed the young larva.

How will our bee's cope is yet unknown but bee's where other predator hornets are native they stay in the nest when a scout is present and leave a small opening, once the hornet goes inside to investigate the bee's surround it and form a ball and vibrate to create a heat 47c which kills the hornet scout. Our bee's will just need some time to evolve a tactic. I'm sure the papers will pick this up and add a touch of scaremongering in for good measure. This coloured picture is a risk assessment from the NNSS ( GB non-native species )

Link to the website http://www.nonnativespecies.org/

(This species of hornet should not to be confused with the Asian giant hornet Vespa mandarinia )