Asian hornet
The Dover and District Bee Keeping Association (DDBKA) met at the end of January in Alkham village hall to focus on planning for the coming year and how to tackle the invasive Asian Hornet.
Asian hornets have been spotted in Dover, Kent. The National Bee Unit has confirmed the sighting, and monitoring is underway to detect further Asian hornets in the vicinity. Seven nests were located in the cliffs at Capel but the Asian Hornets trapped in Alkham seem to have come from a nest located in Ewell Minnis.
It was reported the National Bee Unit (NBU), which has been pivotal in tracking and locating Asian hornet nests since the sudden increase last year found 72 nests in 55 locations last year, of which the majority were in the South East.
Northern France too is reportedly heavily populated by AHs and the NBU believe invasive insects have travelled to the UK in cars, lorries, containers, on ferries and some have flown or been blown over.
These invasive hornets are smaller than our native hornets and pose no greater risk to human health than our native wasps and hornets. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees, and efforts are already underway to monitor for any hornet activity and identify nearby nests.
If you come across an Asian hornet, please report your sighting through the Asian Hornet Watch app or the online report form.
Do not approach or disturb a nest, as Asian hornets can be protective when they perceive a threat to their nest. Beekeepers and members of the public are encouraged to stay vigilant and report any sightings promptly.
doverasianhornets@btinternet.com