Islanders in Guernsey are being urged to ‘watch out’ for Asian hornet queens on the island, after the first nest of the year has been spotted early. <\/p>\n
Residents identified a nest in a tree next to St Saviour’s Reservoir – which may have already successfully housed new queens. <\/p>\n
Asian hornets pose a risk to residents, as they are very aggressive, and their stings can cause anaphylactic shock.<\/p>\n
This is where the body has a severe allergic reaction, often leading to hospitalisation, and in extreme cases involving multiple stings, death.<\/p>\n
In most cases however, Asian hornets’ stings will only feel slightly more painful than those from a wasp.<\/p>\n
In addition to their threat to humans, the RSPB have warned that they are a ‘significant predator’ to honey bees. <\/p>\n
As temperatures begin to rise, Asian hornet queens are expected to emerge from their winter hibernation, and will begin seeking sources of food and spots to nest. <\/p>\n
Guernsey’s government have warned that these queens are most likely to visit flowering camellias in gardens, or build nests in bird boxes or outbuildings.<\/p>\n
Each nest can hold as many as 2,000 hornets.<\/p>\n
Asian hornets are recognisable through the orange stripes on their bodies, which are much darker than the yellow lace which is typical of their European counterparts. <\/p>\n
They are also much smaller than European hornets.<\/p>\n
Asian Hornets are generally between 20-24mm, barely larger than a common wasp, whereas European hornets can reach sizes of up to 35mm.<\/p>\n
To combat the rise of Asian hornets, Guernsey’s government is launching its annual Spring Queening campaign. <\/p>\n
This involves 230 volunteers who track and catch queen hornets before they can start a nest.<\/p>\n
If Islanders on the Bailiwick spot Asian hornets, they are being urged to alert the authorities by emailing asianhornet@gov.gg or by telephoning either 01481 220110 or 07839197082.<\/p>\n
Jersey residents can also expect to see Asian hornets in the coming months, after their numbers on the island increased tenfold between 2021 and 2025.<\/a><\/p>\n If spotted in Jersey, residents should report Asian Hornet sightings to asianhornet@gov.je or call +44 1534441633.<\/p>\n