Record number of Asian hornets trapped in Alderney

There was a significant increase in the number of Asian hornet queens trapped in Alderney in spring

A record number of Asian hornets have been trapped in Alderney, a volunteer group has said.

Alderney Asian Hornet Group said 365 Asian hornet queens had been caught in traps and three primary nests destroyed, a significant increase on previous years that experts have attributed to warm spring temperatures and consistent easterly winds in the Channel Islands.

In 2024 a total of 99 queens were trapped and 26 in 2023, said the group.

The first Asian hornet, an invasive species which feeds on native bees and wasps, was found in Alderney in 2016.

David Jarolík, the group's administrator, asked volunteers to now remove the Asian hornet traps to avoid catching other insects.

He urged them to look for secondary nests which the hornets would now be forming.

"The possibility of discovering secondary nests is practically island-wide," he said.

He thanked volunteers for their support and asked islanders to send a photo and details to the group if they suspected they had found an Asian hornet or nest.