Asian Hornet Warning NI: Department for Agriculture publishes rapid response plan over fears of invasion

The Rapid Response Contingency Plan was published by DAERA on Wednesday following numerous reports of Asian Hornet sightings in Great Britain.

"As nests and sightings of this invasive non-native species continue to be reported in Great Britain, the most recent in Rogiet, Monmouthshire, the department has drafted this plan in order to respond rapidly and proactively to any confirmed local arrivals of Asian Hornet," reads the DAERA warning.

Asian Hornets poses the same sort of threat to humans that wasps do.

The reason DAERA and other authorities might express concern at their imminent arrival is because they can have a detrimental affect to the native population of bees.

"If the Asian hornet hits, it will be like foot and mouth for us," said Paul O'Brien who is President of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations (FIBKA).

"It will be a real tragedy. And if the giant hornet arrives, it will be that to the power of ten."

The Asian giant hornet arrived in the USA last year and there have been unconfirmed sightings of the insect in Spain.

Nicknamed the 'murder hornet', 30 Asian giant hornets, can literally decapitate a hive of 30,000 bees within a few hours.

Information on how to identify and record suspected sightings of an Asian hornet can be found here on the Invasive Species Ireland website.

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