Sharp rise in Asian hornet sightings in UK causes alarm

Asian hornets sit outside honeybee hives and capture bees as they enter and exit, then chop them up and feed the thoraxes to their young. Photograph: Eduardo Gonzalez/Alamy

Asian hornets have been spotted in their greatest numbers yet in the UK, which could have a devastating effect on native bees, which they kill, dismember and eat.

There have been 39 Asian hornets and nests seen in the country since the species was first observed in 2016, and this year there have been 16 sightings, data shows.