A beady-eyed member of the public correctly identified an Asian hornet in Cork City this week. This small insect, known for gobbling honeybees, triggered an emergency response from the Government, which now plans to find all further evidence of the invasive species on the island and destroy it.
The Asian hornet taskforce is asking the public to remain “vigilant” and report any sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s Alien Watch portal.
What is an Asian hornet?
It’s hard for a lay person to distinguish the species from other yellow and black, stinging insects that fly.
The Asian hornet is between 2.5 and 3cm long, with dark antennae, a long orange face, an entirely brown or black thorax and an abdomen that is mostly black except for a yellow band near the tail. Its legs are distinctly yellow at the ends and it has a small thin stinger that is not normally visible, as it is retractable.
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It is believed the species arrived in Europe in a consignment of pottery from China.
Why is it a problem?
The hornet’s main food source is the honeybee: it hovers at the entrance of a beehive and aggressively attacks the bees returning from foraging. They also feed on honey reserves and may attempt to enter a hive to predate upon the brood.
Losses of 14,000 honeybees per hive each month have been recorded in France, where the Asian hornet has spread rapidly since 2004.
@theirishtimesnews A beady-eyed member of the public correctly identified an Asian hornet in Cork City this week. This small insect, known for gobbling honeybees, triggered an emergency response from the Government, which now plans to find all further evidence of the invasive species on the island and destroy it. Click the link in our bio for more #asianhornet #irish #ireland #cork #bee #honeybee #savethebees🐝 #wasp #summer ♬ News - yagobeats
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) says a single nest can devastate honeybee populations and therefore pose a significant risk to biodiversity and pollination of crops in Ireland.
How is it different to the native wasp?
If you get a close look at the two species, you’ll see how the invasive species is bigger than a common wasp, and has far less yellow in its colouring.
Its other lookalikes, the giant woodwasp and the dark giant horsefly, are much larger and have a broader body than the Asian hornet.
Why do I need to look out for them?
The public is being asked to be “vigilant” and keep an eye out for them because the taskforce, while diligent, does not have an all-seeing eye.
While a potential biodiversity hazard, the Asian hornet does not pose a significant public health risk.
What do you do when you see one?
The taskforce is asking people to report suspected sightings in Ireland through this online form or on the Biodiversity Data capture app.
People can include photographs, location co-ordinates, or samples (if safe to collect postmortem) where possible.
The NPWS is warning people not to disturb or try to capture an Asian hornet. While not generally aggressive, the insect may sting if provoked.
