Seven Asian hornet queens caught in Guernsey

The first sighting of an Asian hornet in Guernsey was in 2017

Seven Asian hornet queens have been caught in Guernsey this year by the team hunting them on behalf of the States, officials have said.

Hundreds of volunteers have also been helping capture the invasive species, which can harm native insects.

Queens have been trapped in St Saviour, including one near the Farmhouse restaurant and a second south of the reservoir. 

The hornets feed on honey bees, which affects plants that require pollination.

The first sighting of an Asian hornet in Guernsey was in 2017 after they arrived in the Channel Islands from France, which in turn saw them arrive in a consignment of pottery in 2004, according to the States.

Francis Russell, who co-ordinates the Guernsey hornet project, said they were thought to be all over the island.

He said: "There is no one parish or particular hot spot.

"What we do find is that, where we find one, quite often there's another one somewhere not that far away."