Yesterday I wrote a page for the website about the Asian Hornet and how it was important that we all remain vigilant and on the look out for this pest. And today we received notification that it has already arrived in the UK.
The government website states that an Asian Hornet was found at Fowey in Cornwall. It has been definitely identified but unfortunately it was not caught.
Aware of the risk to our honey bee population, and therefore to much horticulture, the government has set up a surveillance and monitoring zone of about 2 km radius and it is hoped that problem will be eradicated as it was at Tetbury and in North Devon.
To get an idea of what is involved in “surveillance and monitoring” I recommend reading the blog by Judith Norman on the BBKA site. It makes for very interesting reading.
If you have not done so now is the time to download the app for your phone – just search for Asian Hornet. It is suggested that you sit by your hives for some 15 minutes watching what goes on. If the Asian Hornet is in the vicinity that will give it time to come back to the hive for more bees.
