British scientists are attaching miniature tracking devices to invasive Asian hornets, which allow teams to locate and destroy their hidden nests within an hour instead of several days.
As The Guardian detailed, Asian hornets chow down on honeybees and other pollinators that keep our food systems functioning. A single colony consumes about 24 pounds of insects during one season, putting pressure on bee populations that already struggle with habitat loss.
The tracking system works like this: Inspectors capture individual hornets near bait stations, secure hair-thin transmitters around their bodies, and then follow them straight to their colonies.
Without this technology, finding nests hidden high in tree canopies could take days of observation. Speed matters because colonies can double their size within seven days during peak season.
According to The Guardian, Britain’s Animal and Plant Health Agency found 64 nests through August 2025, which set a seasonal record. The invasion started when a single female likely arrived in France aboard a pottery shipment from China back in 2004. France is now home to around 500,000 colonies.
Pollinators enable the production of approximately one-third of crops humans consume. When Asian hornets decimate bee populations, they threaten everything from apples to almonds. Testing shows Britain has prevented permanent colonies from establishing, with only three of 24 nests last year originating from females that survived winter in the country.
Public participation drives much of this success. Citizens use the Asian Hornet Watch app to submit thousands of sightings, which enables rapid response teams to investigate reports near ports where hornets often arrive hidden in shipments of wine, produce, or building materials.
“The public are seeing more Asian hornets around,” said Tracy Wilson from the Animal and Plant Health Agency, per The Guardian. “So there is an assumption or a feeling that they must be established, but that isn’t the case. There are some surviving, but they’re not thriving in the U.K., and we continue with eradication.”
While government teams fight Asian hornets with high-tech solutions, homeowners can lend a hand in their own yards with intelligent landscaping choices. For example, replace portions of traditional lawns with native plants to create refuges for local pollinators.
Native plants demand less water and maintenance than non-native alternatives, which cuts both utility bills and weekend chores. They support local bee populations naturally, providing the nectar and pollen sources these insects evolved to use.
Options like clover lawns, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping with regional wildflowers also strengthen ecosystems against invasive threats. Even converting small sections of yard space to native plantings helps.
Government agencies expect Asian hornet populations to balloon as climate patterns shift. The tracking technology should reach wider deployment within the next two years. Until then, citizen awareness and action are the first line of defense against these invasive species.
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