Invasive Asian hornet seen for first time in UK

An Asian hornet that is known to kill bees has been officially spotted in the UK for the first time.

The hornet was discovered in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affair (Defra) has set up a three-mile surveillance zone around the area.


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According to the South Wales Evening Post, Defra said it has been anticipating the hornets' arrival in the UK for a number of years, and has a protocol in place to eradicate them.

Work has already begun to find and destroy the nests.

The hornet found in Tetbury has been killed and is undergoing DNA testing to see how it arrived in the UK.

The hornet can grow up to one inch long and has been spreading across Europe since it accidentally came over to France in 2004 in a shipment of pottery from China.

The species was spotted in the Channel Islands of Jersey and Alderney for the first time over the summer.

Speaking to the BBC, Nicola Spence, from Defra, said: "It is important to remember they pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, though we recognise the damage they can cause to honey bee colonies.

"That's why we are taking swift and robust action to identify and destroy any nests."