The National Bee Unit has confirmed a sighting of the Asian hornet in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire – the first time the hornet has been discovered in the UK. The Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than a bee. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees. The hornet found in Tetbury is currently undergoing DNA testing at the National Bee Unit in North Yorkshire to help establish how it arrived in the UK. The hornet arrived in France in 2004 and is now common across large areas of Europe. It was discovered for the first time in Jersey and Alderney this summer. It is believed the species will not be able survive in the north of the UK due to colder winters.
Defra press release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-identified-in-gloucestershire
Links to the ID guide:
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/alerts/index.cfm?id=4
Online recording page:
http://www.brc.ac.uk/risc/alert.php?species=asian_hornet