Traps set to catch queens as Asian hornet threat grows
ASIAN HORNETS are likely to have arrived in Guernsey and it is up to islanders to help keep the problem at bay.
The invasive species is a threat to local pollinators and targets honey bees.
Four have been captured in Jersey, which is nearer France, where they are well established, and over the weekend one was spotted in Alderney.
Asian hornet strategy project co-ordinator Francis Russell said another had been seen in Sark over the Easter weekend.
‘It looks like the hornets are moving, as the weather warms up and the wind comes from the east,’ he said.
‘I think it is most likely they are here.’
None have been spotted yet, making the launch of this year’s spring queening project vital.
This is the third year the initiative has been run and has seen 270 traps placed across Guernsey, with 26 going to Alderney, 33 to Sark, six to Herm and two to Jethou.
The aim is to catch the queens before they have time to establish nests and hatch worker hornets.
The initiative has been successful in recent years, with no nests found last year and only 171 sightings. This was down from eight nests and more than 300 sightings in 2018. But there is a constant risk of hornets coming over from France.
The traps are around 500 metres apart across Guernsey and an army of volunteers is helping to check them regularly. The traps contain a sticky liquid which attracts the hornets, but also other pollinators.
Mr Russell said there was a small sponge inside so insects that flew in would not drown and there were also small holes for smaller pollinators to escape. The traps are checked to release helpful pollinators.
The traps are hung from trees and fences, where they can have good air flow and carry the scent for the hornets to pick up.
The insects are attracted to food smells and Mr Russell said often they turned up in kitchens, making it important for islanders to keep an eye out for them.
If a queen is able to start a primary nest, she might go on to make a much larger secondary nest, which is likely to be in the treetops and hard to spot and tackle.
If they are not treated and removed, these secondary nests expand rapidly during August and September and can hold up to 5,000 hornets. When undetected or left uncontrolled, Asian hornets may present an increased risk to the public as well as causing significant harm to native insect populations because they are a voracious predator.
The latest research from France estimates that a full-size hornet colony can consume as many as 11kg of helpful pollinating insects in one summer.
‘I would ask people to check their outbuildings, sheds, verandas and porches to look for any of the early queen’s nests – pale brown and not much bigger than a golf ball,’ Mr Russell said.
n If you discover what you think is an Asian hornet, you should trap it and send a picture to asianhornet@gov.gg or call 07839 197082 so its identity can be confirmed.
n For information, visit https://www.gov.gg/asianhornet.
