The number of Asian hornets are on the increase across the country (Picture: Getty Images/Metro.co.uk/Datawrapper)
Asian hornets have survived winter in the UK for the first time sparking fears they could make the country a permanent home.
DNA testing from the National Bee Unit shows three queen hornets caught in Four Oaks, East Sussex, are the offspring of a nest destroyed in Rye in November 2023.
This implies the Asian hornets are here and they are here for the long haul.
But it is not all bad news because for them to be naturalised in the UK, there needs to be evidence of a reproducing population present in the wild ‘for a significant number of generations’.
The NBU said: ‘The presence of overwintered hornets produced from a nest found and destroyed late last year is not considered to be strong evidence of an established population.’
But how deadly are they to us and other animals?
Where have Asian hornets come from?
The insects have thrived in France but were never fully established here in the UK.
They first came to Europe in 2004 when they were accidentally transported in cargo from Asia.
Asian hornets have been thriving in France but have made their way across the English Channel (Picture: Getty Images)
Experts raised the alarm earlier this year in March when an Asian hornet was spotted in Kent – weeks before they are normally spotted in the UK.
Since March there has been 15 other sightings mainly around Kent and East Sussex, according to the British Beekeepers Association.
The number of sightings of Asian hornets in the UK has skyrocketed with 57 reported sightings in 2023 and 15 already this year.
The first Asian Hornet was spotted in the UK in 2016 and overall there has been 102 confirmed sightings in many different areas including London, Kent, East Sussex, Southampton, New Forest, Weymouth, Plymouth, Southend, Hull, Middlesbrough and Northumberland.
What do Asian hornets eat and how much do they eat?
Asian hornets have proved to be a problem in France and dismember and eat bees and cause concern over the number of insects they kill and eat.
They are known to sit outside honeybee hives and capture bees as they enter and exit.
The hornets chop up smaller insects and feed their thoraxes to their young.
One Asian hornet can hunt down and eat 30 to 50 honeybees in just one day.
Asian hornets feed on honeybees and are a problem for other insects too (Picture: Shutterstock/HWall)
Why are Asian hornets so invasive?
The main reason why Asian hornets are so invasive is to do with the impact of climate change.
Non-native species are more likely to arrive in the UK as colder areas warm up because they are able to survive in colder conditions.
Asian hornets also arrive on cargo ships from Europe bound for the UK, according to the Wildlife Trust.
They are now widespread across many parts of Europe and can easily be blown across in the wind over the Channel.
Do Asian hornets sting and how deadly are they to us and other animals?
How the Asian hornet appears in comparison to other insects
Asian hornets do sting and their sting can be painful with symptoms including hives, swelling and difficulty breathing.
A sting can only cause death in rare cases due to anaphylactic shock which is a reaction where blood pressure falls and airways close.
Asian hornets are defensive of their nests and can sting when they feel threatened by humans.
The risk of them from the government though states they pose ‘no greater risk to human health than native wasps and hornets’.
If you are stung you are advised to wash the area with soap and cool water and apply ice to the venom.
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Asian hornets do not leave a stinger so you will not have to remove one.
To other animals, Asian hornets contribute to 60% of extinctions around the world.
They take over other populations which means there aren’t as many different types of insects to pollinate plants or do other jobs which help with the ecosystem.
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