Asian Hornet Watch: A Clever Trap and a Close Eye on Nature

Last week at the allotment, we made a small but important seasonal switch: our Asian hornet trap has now been changed from the ‘queen’ setting to the ‘worker’ setting. If you’re not familiar with these traps, they’re ingeniously simple but potentially vital tools in the effort to protect our pollinators from the threat of the Asian Hornet.

The trap uses a sweet solution to attract any hornets in the area. At first glance, it could seem like a hazard for bees as they’re also attracted to sugary scents – but here’s where it gets clever. We add vinegar to the mix, which repels bees but doesn’t deter hornets. Even more ingenious: the entrance holes are sized just right so that only Asian hornets can get in. European hornets, which are larger and part of our native ecosystem, can’t enter – nor can bees or wasps.

We’re pleased to report that after a month of monitoring, we haven’t caught a single Asian hornet. That might sound like nothing, but to us it’s everything– a sign that, for now, they haven’t reached our patch. And that’s a win for local biodiversity.

Why It Matters

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) may look like just another insect, but it’s a serious invasive species. It was accidentally introduced into Europe from Asia in 2004, and it has been spreading steadily since. Sightings in the UK have been increasing, and 2023 was a record year for confirmed nests.

Asian hornets are a major threat to honeybees and other pollinators. A single hornet can kill dozens of bees in a matter of minutes, and a nest can devastate an entire colony. They hover outside hives, picking off worker bees one by one – a tactic known as “hawking.” This not only reduces bee numbers but also stresses the colony and disrupts its foraging and pollination work.

What We’re Doing

At Pennington Community Allotment, we see pollinators as our partners. Without them, our crops would struggle, our wildflowers would vanish, and the delicate balance of our little ecosystem would tip. That’s why we’ve taken the threat of Asian hornets seriously and joined the growing number of local efforts to monitor and report sightings.

Switching to the ‘worker’ trap now means we’re tuned in to the next stage of the hornet’s life cycle. Queens are the only hornets active early in spring, but by summer the workers are out foraging—and if there’s a nest nearby, they’ll be hunting for protein (other insects) and sugar (fruit, nectar, or your jam sandwich).

What You Can Do

   •   Learn to recognise Asian hornets: They’re smaller than our native European hornets and have a distinctive yellow-tipped abdomen and orange face.

   •   Report sightings: Use the Asian Hornet Watchapp or report through the UK government’s non-native species website.

   •   Support local beekeepers and conservation groups: They’re on the front lines and often the first to detect a hornet presence.

   •   Avoid disturbing traps: If you see one at a community site like ours, it’s there for a reason – and set up to avoid harming non-target insects.

For now, we’re grateful we haven’t had a sighting. But we know the importance of staying vigilant. These traps aren’t just for catching hornets—they’re for buying time, protecting pollinators, and keeping balance in our shared environment.

Let’s keep our eyes open, our traps baited, and our gardens buzzing.