Asian hornet may have become established in UK, sighting suggests | Insects

Asian hornets may have become established in the UK after the earliest-ever sighting of the predatory insect was recorded by the government this month.

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) dismember and eat bees, and 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…