Asian hornet update another confirmed sighting in a new area

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There has been a confirmed finding of Asian hornet north of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. As with the first sighting, work to find, destroy and remove any nests is already underway, and includes:

• setting up a three mile surveillance zone around the location of the initial sighting
• opening a local control centre to coordinate the response
• deploying bee inspectors across the area who will use infrared cameras and traps to locate any nests
• readying nest disposal experts who will use pesticides to kill the hornets and destroy any nests

Bee inspectors in Somerset will be supported by nest disposal experts who will use an approved pesticide to destroy any hornets and remove any nests.

The first Asian hornet confirmed in the UK was discovered in the Tetbury area. A nest in the area has since been found, treated with pesticide and destroyed. No further live Asian hornets have been sighted in the area since the nest was removed.

Hoptilis adunca .. another new bee to our shores

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David Notton and his co-authors have announced the first specimens of the bee Hoplitis adunca in the UK. This is a good sized Hoplitis (much bigger than H. claviventris), and nests in cavities (it readily takes to bee hotels elsewhere in Europe). It is a specialist on the pollen of Viper’s Bugloss (Echium spp.).

 

Bee inspector 1 Asian hornet 0

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Lets hope no queens had already left … as much is this is good news I think its going to get more frequent in the coming years

Asian Hornet update. Following the recent discovery of two Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) workers near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, Bee Inspectors from the National Bee Unit have visited over 100 sites in the local area. Asian Hornets were found at six locations within 500m of the original sighting. The Animal and Plant Health Agency have now reported they have found and destroyed an Asian Hornet nest in the area. The nest was located at the top of a 55ft conifer tree.