The first confirmed sighting was confirmed last week
Further sightings of Asian hornets have been confirmed in the Belfast area with the possibility of the “existence of a nest.”
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that an Asian hornet was captured in the Dundonald area on October 10 by a vigilant member of the public, in the first confirmed sighting of the insect in Northern Ireland. Otherwise known as the Yellow-legged hornet, the Asian hornet is a harmful invasive species originating from east Asia and first recorded in Europe in 2004.
On Wednesday evening, October 15, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency confirmed further sightings of Asian hornets in the Dundonald area. They said as it was captured in the same area as the first, it “suggests the existence of a nest.”
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A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency said: “NIEA officials are now moving to employ ‘track and trace’ methods to establish the location of, and remove, any potential nest in the area.
“The public is urged to be vigilant and report any suspect insects, ideally with a photograph, to DAERA via the Asian Hornet Watch app at https://www.brc.ac.uk/app/asian-hornet-watch or via the CEDaR invasive species online recording at http://www2.habitas.org.uk/records/ISI. Suspected nests should not be disturbed but reported immediately.”
Individuals and nests are increasingly recorded in southern counties of England and two nests were found and destroyed in the Cork area earlier this summer. The species poses a “serious threat to both biosecurity and local ecology,” the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has warned.
Following the first confirmed sighting, Andrew Muir, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said: “This is a harmful species that I do not wish to see becoming established in Northern Ireland as it presents a serious threat to both biosecurity and local ecology, particularly valuable pollinating insects.
“On current evidence this is a solitary asian hornet, but a Departmental response is underway to ensure that no other Asian hornets are present.
“I am grateful to the Dundonald householder who captured and reported the Asian hornet and would urge the public to remain alert to the potential presence of this insect.”
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