Asian Hornet (1 Viewer)

A real threat to Honey Bees accross the whole of Europe.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/scien...hornet-uk-beekeepers-on-lookout-for-bee-eater

Anyone who thinks they've seen one or found a nest, is urged to report it.

We get them here in central France and have to report any nests. Sting appears to be worse than the European Hornet. A few people became very ill last summer from the sting.

Local garden centre to me has had a 'Report this' poster since last summer with ID features and how to report. Lets hope it doesn't get a foothold.

So a Hornet that makes it to the UK under its own steam has to be eradicated because it preys on honeybees which are basically small farm animals that are not brilliant/the best at pollinating and out compete our native pollinators, and produces honey which isn't a staple or essential foodstuff.
But why are birds like Great White, Little and Cattle Egret, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Spoonbill and all the other recent colonists which compete with our native wetland species and prey on native fish and aquatic/terrestrial invertebrates OK to colonise? Why isn't anyone advocating removing these species and all the other colonists?
Has anyone been trying to eradicate the Longhorn beetle Agapanthia cardui that has started to colonise Kent after making it across the channel, or the chafer Oxythyrea funesta? thought not.
One rule for one, one rule for others....

I know there were a couple of Asian Hornet nests destroyed near me a couple of years ago, and rest assured, if I come across any, I certainly won't be reporting them to anyone.

WalterRayle said:

So a Hornet that makes it to the UK under its own steam

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Not true. The Asian Hornet was introduced to Europe - it's not a natural range expansion like the other species you mention.

King Edward said:

Not true. The Asian Hornet was introduced to Europe - it's not a natural range expansion like the other species you mention.

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Presumably they are also a threat to our native Hornets (that usually seems to be the case with invasive aliens) but no doubt because of the lack of economic damage in that interaction it gets no official mention? Asian Hornet nests should be reported without exception.

John

Farnboro John said:

Presumably they are also a threat to our native Hornets (that usually seems to be the case with invasive aliens) but no doubt because of the lack of economic damage in that interaction it gets no official mention? Asian Hornet nests should be reported without exception.

John

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I've no idea about this. Probably not much direct interaction as our native Hornet is bigger and nests in tree holes, while I think these build aerial nests in trees. Maybe competition for food though. East Asian honeybees have defences against hornet predation which our bees lack, hence the problem. Not sure about the effect on other native species.

They may have been introduced to Europe by man, but they've still, as I said above, made it to the UK under their own steam. And still, no-one objecting to all the birds (especially the herons) that have arrived under their own steam despite the impact they have on our native herons and their prey species.

WalterRayle said:

They may have been introduced to Europe by man, but they've still, as I said above, made it to the UK under their own steam. And still, no-one objecting to all the birds (especially the herons) that have arrived under their own steam despite the impact they have on our native herons and their prey species.

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These are totally different scenarios. You seem to show ecological ignorance in not differentiating what is natural colonisation by various heron like birds( & for which I've seen no evidence to show any negative effects on Grey Herons. All these species happily co-exist in other parts of Europe, Asia & Africa) & a species that would be no where near the UK without man's clumsiness yet again.

aeshna5 said:

These are totally different scenarios. You seem to show ecological ignorance in not differentiating what is natural colonisation by various heron like birds( & for which I've seen no evidence to show any negative effects on Grey Herons. All these species happily co-exist in other parts of Europe, Asia & Africa) & a species that would be no where near the UK without man's clumsiness yet again.

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Totally agree. The parallels are not nearby herons but American Mink and Grey Squirrels.

John