Rapid spread of bee-killing Asian hornets 'stopped in UK'

Rapid action against an invasive bee-killing hornet has stopped its spread in the UK despite suitable climate and habitat for the insect, a study has found.

- Guardian Staff

Research led by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) looked at how suitable European countries were for the yellow-legged or Asian hornet to become established, and how they might have spread without action.

The non-native Asian hornet, which arrived in France in a cargo of pottery from China about 20 years ago and has spread rapidly across the continent, can kill 50 bees a day and has devastated honeybee colonies in France and Italy, experts said.

It was first seen in the UK in 2016, and there have been regular sightings since, including 45 confirmed this year, largely in Kent and East Sussex.

But the National Bee Unit responds rapidly to reports of the invasive species, which preys on honeybees and other pollinating insects, destroying hornets and nests that it finds, the UKCEH said.