Asian Hornet trap

Asian Hornet
Vespa velutina, the yellow legged hornet, commonly known as the Asian hornet, is native to Asia and was confirmed for the first time in Lot-et-Garonne in the South West of France in 2004. It was thought to have been imported in a consignment of pottery from China and it quickly established and spread to many regions of France. As of December 2022, Asian hornet is established in Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Jersey. The hornet preys on a wide range of insects including honeybees, Apis mellifera and disrupts the ecological role they provide. It has also altered the biodiversity in regions of France where it is present and can be a health risk to those who have allergies to hornet or wasp stings.
Vespa Velutina Nest
In 2016, the Asian hornet was discovered in the UK for the first time, in Tetbury. After 10 days of intensive searching, the nest was found and later destroyed. In subsequent years there have been further sightings with action taken to find and destroy nests. As of January 2023, genetic analysis has shown that there is no evidence for an established population of Asian hornets in the UK and all hornets found have been likely to be from the European population rather than a new incursion from Asia.
Where to report sightings
If you think you have seen an Asian hornet, please notify the Great British Non Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) immediately. In the first instance sightings should be reported through the free Asian Hornet Watch App, available for Android and iPhone.
Other methods of reporting the hornet also include using the NNSS online notification form. Finally, you can send any suspect sightings to the Non Native Species email address [e-mail]. Where possible, a photo, the location of the sighting and a description of the insect seen should be included.