Aliens- The Invasive Species Bulletin (Issue No 31, 2011) titled: Monitoring and control modalities of a honeybee predator, the yellow-legged hornet Vespa veluntina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae);
A French article La découverte du Frelon asiatique Vespa velutina, en France (The discovery of the Asian hornet Vespa velutina in France) written by Claire Villemant and R Jean Haxaire from the French National Museum of Natural History and R Jean-Claude Streito from the French National Laboratory of Plant Protection – Entomology Unit;
Details about Vespa crabro, the hornet commonly found in the UK, can be viewed here. (For useful advice on the conservation of bees, wasps and ants within Great Britain and Ireland, visit Hymettus Ltd. The national society dedicated to studying and recording bees, wasps & ants (aculeate Hymenoptera) in Britain & Ireland is BWARS);
Further details on Asian hornets can be viewed on Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel the website for National Inventory of Natural Heritage in France;
To help distinguish between the many species of Vespa species, the French Museum of Natural History have produced an Identification Information Sheet;
In the event that the Asian hornet should arrive in Great Britain, a Contingency Plan for dealing with it has been produced and can be found below:
English Pest Specific Contingency Plan for Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax)
Welsh Pest Specific Contingency Plan for Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax)
In order to get the latest information regarding the current Asian hornet outbreak, please visit the Gov.uk rolling news page here.
Hornet images courtesy The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Crown Copyright