It has been a busy few months for yellow-legged hornet (YLH) news, and our Pests, Diseases and Invaders WhatsApp group has been the place where members have kept each other up to date.
Since the end of July we have seen a suspected sighting in Leeds, a report from Ripon, and a confirmed nest in Oldham. The first nest in Lincolnshire was found at Immingham, and a further one has since turned up in North Lincolnshire, south of the Humber Bridge. None has been confirmed in our own area, but the sightings show that anywhere is possible.
What you can do:
- Keep a lookout, especially around ivy in the autumn.
- If it is safe, take a photo and report it through the Asian Hornet Watch app.
- Please do not kill the hornet. A live one can be tracked back to the nest.
- A monitoring station works best where you can see it often, such as near a kitchen window, rather than in an apiary you visit once a week.
Our Yellow-Legged Asian Hornet page has identification help. If you would like to join the conversation, the community group is open to all members.