This is a dangerous development for Britain's bee population and could have a knock-on effect on agriculture that needs the pollinators, because once hornets are established it is almost impossible to eliminate them.
Asian hornets (Vespa velutina), which dismember and eat bees, have thrived in France, where they have caused concern because of the number of insects they have killed.
They sit outside honeybee hives and capture bees as they enter and exit. They chop up the smaller insects and feed their thoraxes to their young. Just one Asian hornet can hunt down and eat 30 to 50 honeybees.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that a hornet was captured on 11 March in Ash, Kent. It was confirmed to be an Asian hornet after laboratory testing.
This story is from the March 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the March 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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