A threat to all our pollinators!
The Yellow-legged Asian Hornet is an alien species and voracious predator of honeybees and other insects. It was accidentally introduced to France in 2004 and has spread rapidly throughout Europe ever since. The first appearance in the UK was in 2016 but efforts from the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA), the National Bee Unit (NBU), Beekeepers and members of the public have been able to keep it from establishing here so far. The threat of Yellow-legged hornets arriving is ever present and it is very important that sightings of this hornet are reported immediately if we are to stop it from establishing in the UK.
The Asian Hornet is about 25mm long mostly dark with yellow legs. It is not to be confused with our own native hornet the European Hornet which is a bit bigger at about 30mm and is mostly orange with brown legs. The Asian Hornet is quiet when flying and not aggressive, the European hornet is noisy, bigger, and also nonaggressive. All hornets will defend their nests and this is particularly true of the Asian Hornet which will respond rapidly within a proximity of 5-10m. Asian Hornets do not fly at night, unlike the European which can sometimes be seen at night buzzing around lights which confuse them. The first worker hornets appear in June but they will mostly be seen in later summer and autumn possibly feeding on sweet things such as fallen fruit and on Ivy flowers.
Sightings this year (2025)
Asian Hornets are an invasive species and the public play an important part in spotting them so that they can then lead to the nest. It is very crucial that you report any sightings and take a photo if you can.
More information about Asian Hornets can be found here. If you see an Asian Hornet, please report it immediately! Take a photo, note the location, and report below.
Report A Sighting!
Take a photo and send via:
Asian Hornet Watch app (preferred)
Email: alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
Go to: bit.ly/asianhornetreport
