Suspected invasive hornet spotted in Scilly

Wildlife experts fear the presence of hornets on the islands' rare migrant moths and honeybees.

A suspected sighting of the invasive yellow-legged hornet in the Isles of Scilly has prompted action from officials.

If confirmed it would be the first sighting of the hornet which is known for preying on bees, social wasps, spiders and other insects in the islands.

A team from the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) National Bee Unit, which works with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), has arrived in Scilly to investigate, the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust said.

The trust's Jay Cowen confirmed a report of the hornet, native to parts of Asia, was made by a naturalist in Tresco, one of the five inhabited islands in the group. Defra has been asked to comment.

Listen: Jay Cowen from the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust talks about the situation.

"It's an invasive species, which means it can disrupt local habitats and pose a serious threat to native wildlife," they said.

"If these hornets establish themselves here, it could be a tragedy," adding: "Island habitats are incredibly special and sensitive. We must act quickly to protect them."

An APHA spokesperson said: "We are currently investigating reported sightings of yellow-legged hornets on the Isles of Scilly.

"Our highly skilled staff work around the clock to tackle the threat of yellow-legged hornets, including destroying nests, whilst carefully tracking this activity.

"We urge the public to remain vigilant and continue to report any potential sightings to us."

Wildlife experts fear the presence of hornets on the islands' rare migrant moths and honeybees.

Hornets often waited outside hives to attack returning worker bees, eventually breaching the hive to feed on larvae.

The Wildlife Trust urged residents and visitors to report any sightings to the National Bee Unit or to the trust.

The trust said it wanted to "nip this in the bud" before the situation escalated.