Experts sound alarm over insects that kill in huge numbers: 'The rate at which these can move is frightening'

Asian hornets are worrying folks in another area of the United Kingdom as they continue to spread.

What's happening?

After arriving in the country in 2016 and being spotted regularly in Kent and East Sussex, the invasive species was seen in Bury recently, pushing area beekeepers and conservationists to raise the alarm, Salford Now reported.

A University of Exeter study showed that Europe's top three crop pollinators — the honeybee, buff-tailed bumblebee, and red-tailed bumblebee — were among the hornets' top 50 prey species. Forty-three of the 50 animals "are known to visit flowers," according to the site.

"I think it's very important to highlight so that beekeepers don't stick their heads in the sand because the rate at which these can move is frightening," beekeeper Dan Cook said.

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Why is this important?

The outlet reported that each Asian hornet can kill 50 bees per day. The species "has devastated colonies in France and Italy," Salford Now stated.

In addition to wrecking ecosystems by removing these vital pollinators, the hornets are responsible for €30 million in honey industry losses.

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"Insects play vital roles in enabling ecosystems to function, including pollination, decomposition and pest control," lead author Siffreya Pedersen said. "Most insect populations are in decline due to factors such as habitat destruction and chemical pollution, and the expanding area inhabited by Asian hornets poses an extra threat."

What's being done about invasive Asian hornets?

Cook is using traps on his property and near colonies and has also designed protective screens for his hives. He noted that the hornets repopulate so fast that it requires significant resources to keep them at bay and told Salford Now that tracking a hornet to its nest and destroying that nest is the only effective method of control.

Because the pests, also known as yellow-legged hornets, are easy to misidentify, new detection tools such as VespAI are essential.An electric harp invented by a French farmer over a decade after the hornets' arrival there has also proved staggeringly helpful. And a retired forensic detective in the Channel Islands has made it his mission to eradicate the invaders.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?

Absolutely 💯