September 2023 The NBU responded to a credible sighting of Asian hornet in Thamesmead on the 20th August. A nest was located and destroyed. Recently the NBU located single nests in Dover, Rochester, St Margaret’s Bay and nests in a third Maidstone location. Active operations have also been initiated at a site in Folkstone and near Caterbury. On 24th August a credible sighting has been reported just to the north east of Oxford. A site in Plymouth is also being monitored. Inspectors carried out enhanced surveillance in the Dover district in response to two confirmed sightings of Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) in July. This took confirmed sightings to 9 this year. Both incidents reported to the NBU involved a single hornet, one on 1st July and a second on 17th July by local beekeepers. NBU Inspectors collected the samples which were sent to Fera who confirmed the specimens were Vespa velutina. On 20th July there was a sighting in Gravesend in Kent. A small primary nest was located and destroyed. A possible sighting two days later in Plymouth has not been confirmed. On Thursday 22nd June a small primary nest of Asian hornets was reported to the NBU. A National Bee Unit Inspector investigated the report and collected samples which have been sent for analysis by scientists. Traps have been set for hornets returning to the nest site, and follow up activities will take place to raise awareness. This is the earliest date in the season that a nest has ever been found in Great Britain. Nests have previously been reported in the autumn, when insects are more visible as the population of the nest increases to its maximum. The NBU has reported two further sightings of the Asian hornet during May. The first was on 18th May near Ashford in Kent. This has been identified as a single hornet incursion. The second was on 28th May in Canterbury and this is being investigated. On Thursday 13th April the National Bee Unit received a credible Asian hornet sighting from Folkestone, Kent. The following week the National Bee Unit received a credible Asian hornet sighting with a photo taken on the deck of a ferry from Poole, Dorset to Cherbourg on 10th April 2023. An earlier sighting had been made in Northumberland in a cauliflower from France. Since then, further credible descriptive sightings have been forwarded without photos. |