Over 9000 reports in 2020 but only two were confirmed as Asian hornets Asian hornet identity parade Margaret Gill, National Bee Unit bee inspector for Wales Rebekah Clarkson, National Bee Unit Healthy Bees Plan project manager Steph Rorke, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology FACE: YELLOW LEGS: YELLOW 4TH ABDOMINAL SEGMENT: YELLOW Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0 San Martin, CC BY-SA Gilles During the 2020 lockdowns, there were 9,592 reported sightings of insects believed to be Vespa velutina (Asian hornet or 2020 saw only two confirmed reports yellow-legged hornet). That was a 43% increase in reports but more are expected later this year on the previous year, but only two of the 2020 sightings were confirmed as Asian hornets. Both sightings were near the same location in Gosport, Hampshire, where a nest was located, then Each year the race is on to find any UK nests of the Asian hornet destroyed on the 8 September 2020. Lots of other insects were before the end of the season when new unmated queens being confused with Vespa velutina. This feature aims to inform emerge. Most genuine sightings are in September and October, beekeepers and the general public of what to look for and the so the BBKA Asian Hornet Week, 6–13 September 2021, aims to most commonly misidentified insects. raise awareness of Asian hornets and to encourage reports of suspected sightings. The Asian hornet, an invasive non-native species originating in Asia, is a resilient insect that poses a serious threat to our native Thousands of reported sightings are triaged by the UK Centre pollinators. It arrived with imports into southern France in 2004 for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) to decide which reports and, from what is believed to have been one viable queen, Vespa require further investigation. Clear images are investigated by velutina has colonised France, parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) National Bee Unit Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and the Channel Islands. And it (NBU) inspectors and some sightings are sent to the local BBKA is still spreading. and other volunteer Asian hornet teams to investigate. BeeCraft August 2021 23 Clear photographs enable well-informed decisions and can eliminate misidentified Reporting a suspected insects. The graph on page 25 shows Asian hornet sighting the nature and frequency of common misidentifications by month. Many of the If you suspect you have seen an Asian hornet, UK’s native insects have similar features report it using an iPhone or Android app (the to the Asian hornet, but by honing Asian Hornet Watch app) or report a sighting identification skills to look for key features, here: tinyurl.com/BC-AsianHornet ASIAN HORNET correct identification becomes easier. Please include photographs if safe to take one. Asian hornet compared with commonly confused insects THE MOST COMMONLY COMMONLY COMMONLY CONFUSED CONFUSED CONFUSED Asian hornet European hornet Hornet mimic hoverfly Giant woodwasp Vespa velutina Vespa crabro Volucella zonaria Urocerus gigas Size Size Size Size Queen: up to 30mm Queen: up to 35mm 25mm Queen: 45mm Worker: up to 25mm Worker: 25mm Abdomen Males: 28mm Drone: up to 24mm Abdomen Yellow and black striped Abdomen Thorax Predominantly yellow with Eyes Females: black and yellow bands Dark and velvety reddish-brown stripes Large, dark and iridescent Males: orange-red brown (smaller) Abdomen Thorax Thorax Eyes Asian hornet images by David Walker David by images Asian hornet Dark brown with a yellow-orange Reddish-brown Reddish-brown Yellow band on the 4th segment Head Legs Antennae Head Yellow with large C-shaped eyes Reddish-brown Yellow Dark when seen from above, Wings Face Wings orange from the front Reddish-brown Yellow Clouded and slightly yellow-brown Wings Flight Range Legs Dark smoky-brown Loud low buzzing noise Widespread in the south and east Females: yellow Flight Can be seen flying at night of England but also north and Face Never active at night Range west. Females: black Range Mainly in the south east of Habitat Oviposter Widespread in Asia. Spreading England but extending into the Urban areas Females: long and sting-like across mainland Europe. Found south west, Wales and as far When seen Males: absent and destroyed in GB since 2016 north as Yorkshire May to September, especially July Flight Habitat Habitat and August feeding on nectar Often mistaken for a hornet by Martin Cooper www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-r-t-i-n/26727858354. Martin Cooper www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-r-t-i-n/26727858354. by Thrives where food is plentiful, Lowland woodlands. Also seen in Range eg near apiaries. A generalist This harmless hoverfly mimics agricultural and garden habitats Throughout the UK insect predator, also scavenges the colourings and markings of Nests hornets and wasps as a defence Habitat Nests Papery nests in hollow trees, mechanism to keep predators like In or near coniferous woodland. Often found high in trees, also attics and wall cavities, usually birds away. Females even lay their Urban areas, agricultural land close to the ground over two metres above ground Ichneumonidae stramentor stramentor Ichneumonidae When seen eggs in wasp and hornet nests When seen When seen where their larvae can be found. May–October Queens: February–April, Throughout the year Workers August–October First found in the UK in the late Giant woodwasp is a large 1930s or early 1940s sawfly J J J J F F F F M M M M A A A A M M M M J J J J J J J J A A A A S S S S 30mm 20mm 24mm O O 35mm 25mm O 45mm 28mm O N N N N Q W D D Q W D 25mm D Q M D Photos by: Steven Falk (www.stevenfalk.co.uk) except except (www.stevenfalk.co.uk) Falk Steven by: Photos 24 BeeCraft August 2021 Five major misidentifications European hornet Hoverfly Giant woodwasp Other wasp ASIAN HORNET Bee JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Asian hornet compared with commonly confused insects COMMONLY CONFUSED Dark giant horsefly Hornet clearwing moth Median wasp Cockchafer beetle Tabanus sudeticus Sesia apiformis Dolichovespula media Melolontha melolontha Size Size Size Size 25mm 30–45mm Queens up to 22mm 30mm Abdomen Wingspan 33–50mm Workers up to 15mm Body Broad and pointed with light Body (smaller than hornets) Black and dark bands black through to Predominantly yellow body with Abdomen Legs brown with contrasting light- black and dark-brown bands of From yellow and black to very Chestnut brown brown, yellow and cream areas varying widths – mimics hornet dark and almost black individuals Underside Eyes markings with minimal yellow banding Fine white hairs Large, dark and iridescent Legs Nest Antennae Thorax Yellow Built of chewed up wood pulp; Feathered Dark to light-brown Face in buildings and cavities, also Habitat Legs Yellow hanging from trees and bushes Broadleaf woodland margins, Dark to light-brown Wings Range especially near farmland, Flight Clear with orange and brown Mostly in the south and east grassland or gardens Deep humming sound which edges England but has spread to Wales Flight abruptly stops before it settles Range and southern Scotland Noisy ungainly flight, typically on a feeding host Southern UK, rarely north of Habitat at dusk when they fly to feeding Range the Midlands Mostly lowland habitats such sites, sometimes forming large Throughout the UK but most Habitat as woodland, farmland, towns aggregations common in west and north Trees in the open – parks, golf and parks Range Habitat courses and hedgerows. Poplar When seen Throughout England and Wales Boggy areas, which it needs to trees are needed for reproduction. June to October but most commonly in the south Adults emerge in June and July reproduce. Most rural habitats Although a close relative of other When seen and can be seen low down on When seen UK social wasp species, it was May–July July and August trunks in the morning first seen in the UK in c1980 Adult beetles emerge between When seen May and July and live for about Commonly feeds on the blood June and July of cattle, deer and horses but six weeks while they reproduce is also known to feed on people J J J J F F F F M M M M A A A A M M M M J J J J J J J J A A A A S S S S O O 22mm 15mm O O N N N N 30–40mm 25mm D D Q W D 30mm D BeeCraft August 2021 25 The Giant Asian hornet The insects in this article are the most commonly but not the only insects misidentified as the Asian hornet. The Giant Asian hornet (Vespa mandarinia) a larger insect, emotively dubbed by the media as Murder Hornet, was discovered in North America in 2020. It is not believed to be in Europe. The pattern on its abdomen is similar to our native hornet and when surfing the internet it’s easy to confuse the two. The NBU is grateful to the army of naturalists and beekeepers who spend time correcting Vespa ASIAN HORNET mandarinia images incorrectly labelled as Vespa velutina posted on news websites. More commonly confused insects Drone hoverfly Giant alder sawfly Ichneumon wasp Broad-bodied chaser Eristalis tenax Cimbex conatus Ichneumon stramentor dragonfly Size Size Size Libellula depressa About 20mm 30mm 13–18mm Size Abdomen Abdomen Abdomen 39–48mm Stocky. Black and orange or Broad with yellow and brown Female: long tapered abdomen Abdomen dark-yellow banded striped markings which is yellow at the front and Broad and flat.