First Asian Hornet Confirmed in Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has confirmed the first recorded sighting of an Asian hornet in Northern Ireland.
The insect was captured in the Dundonald area on Friday 10 October by a member of the public.
The Environment Minister Andrew Muir said “this is a solitary Asian hornet, but a departmental response is underway to ensure that no other Asian hornets are present”.
Rising Sightings Across the UK and Ireland
Asian hornets have been increasingly reported in southern counties of England in recent years.
Earlier this summer, two nests were located and destroyed in County Cork.
Threat to Native Insects
While Asian hornets are not considered more dangerous to humans than native hornet species, they do pose a significant risk to native insect populations.
They are known to prey on more than 1,000 species, including honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies, and beetles.
The environment minister added: “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.”
Monitoring Now Underway
The NIEA has launched a monitoring programme, using live traps and visual surveys.
The aim is to determine whether the sighting in Dundonald is an isolated incident or if a nest may be present in the area.
In a statement the body said If other Asian hornets are detected and confirmed, “intensive monitoring will continue to trace and remove any nest, with monitoring afterwards to ensure that there is no further Asian hornet activity”.
It added: “The public are also urged to be vigilant and report any suspect insects, ideally with a photograph, to DAERA.”
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