Asian hornet: Record number of nests found in Jersey

Asian hornets were first spotted in the British Isles in 2016

A record number of Asian hornets nests have been found in Jersey.

A member of the team responsible for finding and removing them said 85 had been tracked down so far - two more than the previous record.

Bob Tompkins, from the Jersey Beekeeping Association, said there was still three months of the hornet season to go so he expects the number of nests to increase.

Asian hornets were first spotted in the British Isles in 2016.

The Asian hornet feeds on honey-bees by biting the heads off and eating the rest which impacts plants that require pollination.

They are not to be confused with the Giant Asian hornet, sometimes referred to as the Japanese hornet.

Jersey States said all suspected nests should be reported.

It said you should never attempt to disturb, remove or treat them yourself - adding Asian hornets had been known to defend their nest area "aggressively".

The States also said Asian hornets present no greater threat to human health than wasps or the native European hornets, but advised people to be cautious if they suspected Asian Hornets were in the area.

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