Beekeepers on alert after Asian hornets colony found in Somerset

REPORTS of invasive Asian hornets being discovered nesting on the Quantock Hills last week proved to be a false alarm.

It was reported that a beekeeper had found Asian hornets hawking his bees in Aisholt and informed the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.

An NBU team arrived to search for the insects’ nest using advanced technology, attaching a tracer to captured hornets.

Because the hornets hunt within an 800-yard radius of their nest, the team was able to track the direction of the insects’ flight and locate and destroy the nest over the bank holiday weekend.

However, Somerset Beekeepers Association has since said the incident happened close to Ashcott, near Street, and not Aisholt.

Asian hornets, also referred to as yellow-legged hornets, are known to be particularly aggressive and their stings are extremely painful and lower the victim’s blood pressure.

They can sting multiple times, making them more dangerous than most stinging insects.

Asian hornets predate on all insect life and larvae can consume nearly 30 lbs of insects, equivalent to 15 bags of sugar, in a season.

They particularly target beehives and have the potential to devastate entire insect colonies at a time when the UK’s bee population has been in decline, partly because farming has become more intensive with an increased use of pesticides such as neonicotinoids.

Anybody who finds an Asian hornet is required to report it because they are a non-native species posing a threat to UK insects.

They are slightly larger than the common wasp and have a dark thorax and abdomen and bright yellow tips to their legs.

A spokesperson said: “Our local insect population is at greater risk now the Asian hornet has made it to Somerset.”

They can be reported via the Asian Hornet Watch app, or by emailing to [email protected].

This article was edited on September 2, 2026 to make clear the incident happened close to Ashcott, near Street, and not Aisholt in The Quantocks, as had been reported by a local newsletter.