Authorities in Guernsey have launched a public awareness initiative aimed at managing the population of Asian hornets on the island. The campaign, known as the Track Don’t Trample strategy, asks residents to document sightings of the insects by taking photographs and recording the direction the hornets travel before reporting this information to officials.
Asian hornets are an invasive species that arrived in Europe after being transported from Asia in a pottery shipment to southern France in 2004. The insects were first documented in Guernsey in 2017 and have since been identified as a significant threat to local biodiversity and honeybee populations, with honeybees comprising approximately 39 percent of the hornets’ diet.
During the current year, authorities have captured 205 hornet queens and eliminated nine primary nests across Guernsey and the nearby island of Herm. Officials have emphasized that volunteer efforts have been crucial to these efforts, with the collected information enabling authorities to trace hornets back to their nesting locations for safe and efficient removal.
The States has cautioned residents against attempting to remove nests themselves, noting that these structures can expand rapidly during August and September, potentially housing up to 2,000 hornets. Nests have been found in tall trees, hedges, brambles, and buildings. The government has advised islanders to carefully inspect vegetation before cutting back hedges or other growth to avoid disturbing active nests.
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