Deadly Asian hornet confirmed in London as rapid rise sparks concern
Britons are being warned about an invasion of Asian hornets which have now been spotted in London for the first time
Britons are being warned about an invasion of Asian hornets which have now been spotted in London for the first time.
Sightings in the UK have sparked fears they are spreading this summer.
Beekeeper Joel Soo discovered the killer insect at his Thamesmead home on Saturday evening.
While harvesting honey, the 43-year-old spotted one Asian hornet and managed to capture it in a container.
Beekeeper Joel Soo discovered the killer insect at his Thamesmead home on Saturday evening
Wiki Commons images/ Tsaag Valren
It comes after 10 people in the crown dependency of Jersey were stung by the "killer" hornets but all survived.
Meanwhile at least five people have died following stings in France, with more victims in other European countries.
The hornets' venom can cause people to go into anaphylactic shock, resulting in death within minutes of being attacked unless they receive urgent medical treatment.
It is the first time the invasive species has been sighted in the capital.
According to figures from Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), there have been 46 sightings of Asian hornets since 2016 - with half of those coming this year alone.
"It was a bit of a shock when I first saw it," Soo told the Evening Standard.
"The next morning I went out to my beehives again thinking okay, it's probably just a one-off, and that's when I saw another two or three more flying around the hives."
The beekeeper, of four years, alerted the Animal and Plant Health Agency and a team discovered a nest in a tree near his home on Monday.
Defra confirmed the nest will be destroyed this week.
BBKA chair Diane Drinkwater said: "Asian hornets are wreaking havoc in Europe and we fear if they get a foothold in the UK our honey bees and many other insects will be decimated here, too.
"They are the greatest threat to beekeeping since the Varroa mite was discovered more than 30 years ago."
Richard Mcintosh, assistant chief plant health officer at Defra, added: "While the Asian hornet poses no greater risk to human health than other wasps or hornets, they can cause damage to honey bee colonies and other beneficial insects.
"We ask people to look out for any Asian hornets and if you think you've spotted one, report your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online."
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