THE INVASION OF ASIAN HORNET

24 February 2026

Arrived in the Southwest region of France in 2004 via a consignment of pottery from China. As of 2023 established in France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Jersey

UK INVASION
Channel Isles saw first Asian hornets in 2016
Mainland UK - Tetbury, Gloucestershire in September

Between 2016 and 2022 a total of 23 nest/sightings

How to recognise

Yellow-legged hornet 2025 rolling update » APHA - National Bee Unit - BeeBase (Also take a look at their map page with the Asian Hornet layer - this shows Asian Hornets are not just exclusively in the South-East).

YLAH Monitoring for 2026 | British Beekeepers Association

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