Fundraiser for Asian hornet tracker reaches goal

The Sark Asian Hornet Team said the island was at risk of insects coming from Jersey and France

A Channel Islands group tracking Asian hornets has reached a fundraising goal to buy equipment to help deal with the invasive species.

The Sark Asian Hornet Team said its tracking project would see insects being captured, having transmitters attached to them and then being followed to nests by a tracker.

Coordinator Peter Cunneen said the team had reached a goal of £2,500 to buy a tracker and five transmitters in a bid to try and prevent the insects attacking pollinators such as bees.

Mr Cunneen said a tracker had been dispatched and members were hoping to get it up and running as soon as they got it.

'Remarkable success'

Mr Cunneen said the hornets were a particular threat to Sark as the island was "so rich with pollinators, it's absolutely abundant".

He added that, as well as environmental concerns, a second reason for getting the equipment was a public health consideration.

He said: "The consequences of disturbing an Asian hornet nest don't bear thinking about.

"I did it once and I wouldn't want to repeat the experience."

Mr Cunneen said "Attaching a transmitter to a hornet, the hornet flies back to its nest, you can then read... where that particular nest is."

"The National Bee Unit have been testing it in the UK and the success has been quite remarkable."

"The objective initially was to get the tracker and the tracking system.

"But now we can look at next year and decide whether or not we want to get a second tracker.

"Also, looking perhaps at having our own independent destruction equipment or acquiring a drone."

After tracking the insects, Mr Cunneen said the local team would record their location, tape off such areas, and "once we maybe have a few nests, then the Guernsey Asian Hornet Team will come over and they will destroy those".

Mr Cunneen said Sark was facing both hornets coming over from Jersey and France.

He said: "We have more nests, we have more migrating Queens in the spring.

"I think our threat is greater than Guernsey's.

"We have to control it in Sark and, of course, if we don't, then it's a threat to Guernsey."