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Hornets

Answer

The Government recognises that honey bees and wild pollinators are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production. All pollinators contribute the equivalent of more than £500 million a year to UK agriculture and food production, by improving crop quality and quantity. Pollinators are also beneficial to our wider, natural ecosystems.

Recognising the potential impact that Asian hornet would have on honey bees and wild pollinators, Defra, in collaboration with Welsh Government, developed the Asian hornet contingency plan which details the response to Asian hornet and is regularly reviewed. The operational response is carried out by the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Our most effective way of supporting beekeepers and the wider beekeeping industry against the threat of Asian hornet is through our continued eradication response, with the aim of preventing Asian hornet from establishing. This involves the NBU responding to credible sightings to locate and destroy any nests. Evidence from the response to Asian hornet is reviewed at the end of each season to determine if any changes to the approach are required for the following year.

The NBU has now fine-tuned their response and enhanced their preparedness, and they can frequently find a nest within a day of an initial sighting being reported. In 2023 the NBU located and destroyed 72 nests in 56 locations.

Accurate and timely reporting is critical to the response so raising awareness and reporting possible sightings is key. We appreciate the role that beekeepers take in the response to Asian hornet through helping raise awareness of the threat, educating people in identifying these insects, encouraging them to report any suspected sightings and monitoring traps. To support accurate and timely reporting Defra funded development of the Asian hornet watch app. The NBU keep beekeepers informed of the response through updates published on BeeBase and also carry out other awareness raising activity. The Non-Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) works with over 50 local actions groups and other organisations to raise awareness of Asian hornet, in 2023 they sent out 3400 alert posters and 11,200 ID sheets.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

14247

Session

2023-24

Subjects

Bees Non-native species Hornets

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk