An Asian hornet nest has been located in Cork city following an “intensive effort” by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), according to the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Christopher O’Sullivan said the nest was located “in and around” where the initial Asian hornet was discovered earlier this month, but said he could not give a precise location “for obvious reasons”.
That sighting and capture was the second confirmed identification of an Asian hornet in Ireland and triggered the establishment of the Asian Hornet Management Group, chaired by the NPWS.
Extensive monitoring was then carried out to determine if a larger population existed and the survey team intensified efforts after the additional sightings.
The location of these sightings and monitoring activities are not being disclosed for operational purposes.
The taskforce has since consulted with experts from the UK and are monitoring the situation closely, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said in a statement.
Mr O’Sullivan said they had suspected over the last few weeks that the nest was located near where the initial hornet was found.
There had been an “intensive effort” to find the nest, he added.
Asian hornets nests contain a number of queens, which would create additional nests once they leave their current one.
However, he said this does not typically happen until later in the Autumn, meaning they have “got ahead of this”.
“We will obviously remove the nest and the population of hornets within that nest will be destroyed,” he said.
“The nest itself then will be taken to the National Museum of Ireland. It will be investigated and DNA tests will be carried out to find out exactly where we think this hornet may have originated from.”
“If this species did get a foothold, what it would mean for our native pollinators – things like hoverflies, bumblebees, solitary bees, and of course beekeeping – would have been devastated,” Mr O’Sullivan added.
“So I’m proud that we actually have got out ahead of this and responded so quickly.”
The Asian hornet poses a significant threat to biodiversity in Ireland, and a single nest can devastate honeybee populations, but its presence does not pose a significant public health risk.
Asian hornets are said to not be generally aggressive, but it may sting if provoked, the department warned.
Members of the public who believe they encounter an Asian hornet are advised to not approach or attempt to capture it, but to report it to the National Biodiversity Data Centre with a photograph if possible.