Expert weighs in after Nottinghamshire locals fear…

Expert weighs in after Nottinghamshire locals fear Asian hornet sighting

Experts have given their opinion after a worried Nottinghamshire resident feared they had found an Asian hornet at their home. A member of the public feared the worst when she discovered what she thought was an Asian Hornet, a non-native hornet which poses a huge threat to our native honey bees, in her garden in Awsworth.

The concerned local took to Facebook to share an image of the insect. She said: “Keep your eyes out.

“Any sightings need to be reported as these are nasty insects.” Asian hornets are known to be highly defensive of their nests and can swoop down and sting in ‘mass attacks’ when they feel threatened.

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A small number have been sighted in the UK this year, with three confirmed in Kent, Dorset and Northumberland, according to ChronicleLive. But according to one Nottingham expert, locals have nothing to worry about, as the insect spotted in Broxtowe was a European Hornet.

Chris Terrell-Nield, principal lecturer in ecology at Nottingham Trent University, said he was “sure” the bug pictured was European. He also detailed helpful ways the public can distinguish between the European and Asian species.

He explained that there is one useful feature that can help members of the public tell the difference, this being that the Asian Hornet has regular stripes of black and yellow on its abdomen, while the European one has stripes that have “teardrops on them”, as does the hornet pictured.

A closer look at the European Hornet (Submitted)

He also stated that at this time of the year, the hornet is likely to be a queen. The Asian hornet queen is about 5cm long, while, going by the diameter of the 2p, and allowing for distance, this hornet is around 3.5cm, which is the size of the European species.

He also noted that Asian hornet’s eyes are small in relation to the size of its head, while European hornet’s eyes, like the one pictured, are much larger. He added: “Still an impressive insect and to some people, quite worrying, especially in flight.”

According to the Wildlife Trust website, the Asian hornet can be accidentally imported through goods such as timber. It is most likely to be found in the southern parts of England, as it is unable to survive the cooler northern climates.

Potential Asian hornet sightings can be reported to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology via an online form, and through its Asian Hornet Watch app.

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