Asian hornets devour honeybees, alarmed UK authorities make plan to eradicate menace

Have the Asian hornets invaded the UK? Are they killing the bees so much that the authorities have prepared a detailed plan to kill them and eradicate the menace? At least 39 Asian hornets have been spotted in the countryside of the UK since they were observed for the first time in 2016. There have been not less than 16 sightings this year. Only two hornets were seen in 2022 and two in 2021. But, now their number is increasing and it has alarmed the authorities.

The Asian hornets first came to France in 2004, probably in a cargo. They crossed the Channel to Britain, probably in cargo again. They have increased their number. The Asian hornets sit outside a beehive, waiting for the honeybees to come, capture them, kill them, and feed their young.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched a campaign to eradicate the menace by destroying the nets and killing the hornets. Its chief plant and bee health officer Nicola Spence told "The Guardian" that the department is locating and investigating the sightings in Folkstone after the Asian hornets have been confirmed in the area.


She said that though the hornets pose no great threat to human life or their health, they are dangerous for honeybee colonies and they can destroy them. She also said that if anyone spots hornets he should inform the department through app or online and immediate action will be taken.

Prof Juliet Osborne of the University of Exeter said that the species is spreading rapidly through Europe. She said that the Asian hornets predate honeybees as well as other insects.

The Asian hornets have been spotted most of the time in Kent. They have recently been seen in Folkstone, Maidstone, Portland, Deal, Whitstable, Plymouth, Gravesend, Canterbury, Ashford, and other places.

FAQs:

Q1. How have the Asian hornets reached the UK?
A1. The Asian hornets first came to France, perhaps in a cargo. They soon spread across Europe and reached the UK probably in cargo. They have increased their number and they are posing a threat to the honeybee colonies.

Q2. What the UK authorities have planned to eradicate the menace of the Asian hornets?
A2. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched a campaign to find and destroy the nests and kill the hornets. It has asked people to report the sightings of hornets through an app or online.