UK put on Asian hornet invasion alert - full list of areas at risk

An Asian hornet is identifiable by its yellow legs (Image: Getty) The UK saw a record number of Asian hornet sightings last year . Now experts are warning Brits to keep their eyes peeled for the pests this summer. Although Asian hornets are no more dangerous to humans than native hornets, they are bad news for honey bees and insect pollinators.

There have been 108 sightings of giant hornets since 2016, but 56 of those were in 2023. This year there have already been eight, according to government figures. The south-east of England is the real hotspot for Asian hornets.

In particular, there have lots of sightings in Kent and East Sussex. The British Beekeepers Association confirmed an Asian hornet was discovered in a potting shed in Ash, near Sandwich, in March 2024. The same group said the find was approximately five miles from a nest found and destroyed in 2023, near Canterbury.

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