No Asian hornet nests discovered in Guernsey in 2020

Asian hornets are "highly efficient" predators of local insects, and can be harmful to humans

Guernsey has had the fewest confirmed sightings of Asian hornets in four years.

Throughout 2020 there have been just six sightings, compared with 15 last year, and 70 in 2018.

Three queens were caught, compared to 10 last year, and no nests were found or destroyed.

"Spring Queening", which is a process of trapping queens out of hibernation, was run from April to June, with the first sighting on 14 April.

Asian hornets are an invasive species which first arrived in Guernsey in 2017.

They cause significant harm to biodiversity as predators of native insect populations, such as bees.

The Asian hornet also presents "a risk to the public", the island's government said, as they will "attack and sting any intruders especially where the nest is disturbed either intentionally or accidentally".

"Any Asian hornets still remaining have now entered hibernation and so the strategy has concluded for another year until the queens emerge once more next spring," it added.