Wildlife experts are reportedly warning that killer giant hornets are set to arrive in the UK.
Asian hornets can allegedly kill up to 50 bees per day to feed their larvae, and that could be detrimental to the UK bee population that has already fallen by a third since 2007.
The hornet reached France accidentally in pottery 12 years ago and from that single nest spread to Germany, Italy, Spain, and Belgium, reports the Daily Mail.
It is believed the aggressive insects will likely cross the Channel inadvertently in flower, plant or timber imports.
Chair of the Wildlife and Countryside Link’s group on invasive species, Camilla Keane, has echoed that the hornet’s arrival would not be good news.
She said:
Like all invasive non-native species, once established the Asian hornet would be incredibly difficult and hugely costly to tackle.
Sadly many other invasive species already wreak havoc in our countryside, and new invasive non-native species are arriving each year, so the issue is not going away.
On top of its spine chilling appearance the Asian hornet has earned a fearsome reputation after it claimed the lives of five people in France last year – its sting reportedly sent them into anaphylactic shock.
You’ll definitely know one when you see it, and it is in no way recommended that you mess with a hive.
