'Intensive' operation underway after invasive Asian hornet nest discovered in Ireland
Experts have warned that even a single Asian hornet nest can devastate local honeybee populations
An urgent operation is currently underway following the discovery of Asian hornets in Co Cork.
Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, confirmed the intensive National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) operation to locate and remove an Asian hornet nest in the Ringaskiddy area of Co. Cork.
The operation was escalated following the successful capture of a second Asian hornet close to the location where an initial specimen was photographed by a member of the public late last week.
Minister O’Sullivan said:
“Since the National Biodiversity Data Centre confirmed the initial sighting of an Asian hornet in Ringaskiddy, NPWS has mounted an intensive surveillance and monitoring operation in the area.
“The discovery yesterday of a second hornet is a significant development and suggests that a nest may be present nearby. Our response has now moved into a critical new phase, with specialist bait stations being deployed to track and trace any further hornet activity and pinpoint the nest location as quickly as possible.
“Conservation Rangers will use the latest transmitter technology to follow the movements of individual hornets back to their nest. This approach has proven highly successful in other countries, including the UK, and gives us the best possible chance of locating the nest before the species can establish itself.
“We know from our successful response to last year's incursion that early detection and rapid intervention are absolutely critical. Using the latest science, technology and expertise, we are moving swiftly and decisively to protect Ireland's biodiversity and our native pollinators from this invasive species.
“I want to thank members of the public whose vigilance helped to bring this issue to our attention. Public awareness remains one of our strongest defences. I would encourage anyone who believes they may have seen an Asian hornet to report it immediately through the website www.invasives.ie."
The Asian hornet, also known as the yellow-legged hornet, is an invasive species native to Southeast Asia which has spread rapidly across parts of Europe since it was first detected in France in 2004.
It poses a particular threat to Ireland’s pollinators, preying on honeybees as well as bumblebees, hoverflies, wasps and other insects.
Experts have warned that even a single Asian hornet nest can devastate local honeybee populations. A decline in bees and other pollinating insects could have wider consequences for Ireland’s biodiversity, affecting the pollination of wild plants and agricultural crops.