Asian hornets pose extra threat’ to native pollinators

Researchers have issued a warning about invasive Asian hornets, which are consuming hundreds of insect species, many of which are important pollinators.

- EMILY BEAMENT

The findings by University of Exeter researchers, derived from tests on the guts of more than 1,500 larvae, highlight concerns about the additional threat the hornet poses to native insects. These insects are already under pressure from farming, land use changes, and chemical pollution.

The study also draws attention to the potential impact on agriculture, noting that 43 of the 50 most commonly identified species in the hornet larvae’s diet are known to visit flowers. These include Europe’s three main crop pollinators – the honey bee, buff-tailed bumble bee and the red-tailed bumble bee.