Asian Hornet

The Asian Hornet is an invasive species and a voracious predator of bees and other insects. It is expected to have a big negative impact on insect life and - by extension - beekeeping. It is now established in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium the Netherlands and Germany.

The UK has experienced incursions since 2016, but 2023 has seen a ten-fold increase in the numbers of nests having to be destroyed, including one in London. This suggests they may be becoming established in England and the LBKA is working to help contain it.

Latest news of confirmed sightings and nest destructions from the National Bee Unit (external link).
Information and resources from the British Beekeeping Association (BBKA) (external link).

Educational materials from LBKA

Some educational materials from the London Beekeepers' Association (LBKA).

A4 posters: Download and print your preferred posters (version 1; version 2). The link and QR code point to the Asian Hornet Watch app download, and/or to the one-click page to report sightings to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Social media-friendly image: Download this social media-friendly (square) image to post on social media. Remember to post this as a Reel on Meta so it can be shared on, and to add lots of relevant hashtags for easy discovery.
Asian hornet lifecycle: An Asian Hornet infographic that summarises the aspects of the lifecycle of the Asian Hornet most relevant for mounting an effective response.
Hosting an Asian Hornet bait station: How to host an Asian Hornet bait station.

Talks

BBKA organised some excellent talks from Andrew Durham.