‘Worst-case scenario’ for next year is 50 Asian hornet nests
UP TO 50 Asian hornet nests could be found in Guernsey next year, if the worst-case scenario comes to pass, States bee inspector Damian Harris has said.
Mr Harris has had a busy year tracking the invasive species, which destroys honey bee colonies. Eight nests have been found and removed, as well as three queens.
But as autumn sets in, the queens will go into hibernation. Only next spring will Guernsey know if the hard work of islanders this year has dented numbers.
‘Now it will all go quiet,’ Mr Harris said. ‘We are not getting many confirmed sightings and we think we are in a good position.’
Jersey has struggled with a growing Asian hornet population, with 52 nests being destroyed this year, but there are still worries that there could be more than 200 found there next year, despite attempts to stamp out numbers.
Mr Harris said Guernsey had between 150 and 200 traps across the island, and these help to catch queens in the spring, before they have time to establish nests.
‘We won’t know if that makes a difference until next year,’ he said.
‘We don’t know where we are. If we follow Jersey’s trend, there will be 30 to 50 nests, so we are hoping we are not going to do that.’
Of the eight nests found across Guernsey, just over half were in St Peter’s. Follow-up checks indicated that there were no more nests in the area, but it was hard to be sure. Nests were also found at L’Islet, St Andrew’s and St Martin’s.
All of these were found thanks to the vigilance of islanders and beekeepers and the diligent tracking done, using traps and following the insects. While radio tracking technology was purchased, it has not been needed yet.
Mr Harris said he had been practising how to attach the tiny transmitters to the hornets, so he would be ready to use them next year.
Recently a queen Asian hornet was found at Jerbourg. Mr Harris said they believed this could have been blown from one of the other islands and noted that there were Asian hornets on Sark, although no nest or nests have been found.
It is hoped that a strategy will be drawn up to help the smaller island next year.
Mr Harris said even having just 12 traps across Sark in the spring might get the queens and so reduce the number of new nests.
n Anyone spotting an Asian hornet is urged to report the location of any insect or nest found to ACLMS by calling 234567 or emailing asianhornet@gov.gg.
