Beekeepers and members of the public are being asked to remain vigilant after Asian hornets were spotted in the Dover area in Kent.

The National Bee Unit has confirmed the sighting and monitoring is underway to detect further Asian hornets in the vicinity.

The Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than our native wasps and hornets. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees and work is already underway to monitor for any hornet activity and to identify any nests nearby.

There have already been several sightings of Asian hornet this year with this being the sixth confirmed UK sighting since April 2023, when a single Asian hornet was captured near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.

More informatation from DEFRA: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornets-identified-in-dover