Map of where Asian wasps have been spotted in the UK

People have been urged to report any sightings of Asian wasps after a record year for the bee-killing invasive species.

Our map shows where nests have been destroyed and where insects have been captured. IIn 2023, there were a record 57 confirmed sightings of Asian bee-killing wasps, more than double the previous seven years combined. A total of 74 nests were destroyed last year.

There have already been eight confirmed sightings this year, including one captured in March – the earliest the invasive species has ever been seen in the UK.

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So far this year, five wasps have been caught in East Sussex, two in Kent and one in Romford, London. The sightings have sparked fears that last year’s nests may have been missed, allowing fertile queens – known as ‘gynes’ – to fly away and start nests.

The Department for the Environment (Defra) said that Asian wasps are not yet established in the UK, but that early capture is essential in its efforts to keep them out. Now the UK’s chief plant health officer, Nicola Spence, has urged beekeepers and the general public to be on the lookout for Asian wasps.

She said: “By ensuring we are alerted to possible sightings as early as possible, the public can help us take quick and effective action to eliminate the threat posed by Asian wasps.

“While the Asian hornet poses no greater risk to human health than other hornets or wasps, they can damage bee colonies and harm other pollinators.

“Please continue to be on the lookout for any Asian wasps and if you think you have spotted one, please report your sighting through the Asian Wasp App or online.”

A single Asian hornet – described as the “lion of the insect world” – can devour up to 50 honeybees at once. A wasp nest can produce an average of 350 potential queens and males for mating, as well as up to 6,000 workers.

Since Asian hornets were first spotted in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in September 2016, there have been 109 confirmed sightings, including 85 nests, all of which have been destroyed. Asian wasps are distinctive and can be identified by their very dark body, broad orange stripe on the fourth abdominal segment and yellow leg tips.

You can look at the map below and For guidance on how to report and spot Asian hornets, go to: https://www.nonnativespecies.org/non-native-species/species-alerts/#Species_53

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