Asian hornets which gruesomely behead and eat bees could soon invade Scotland (2025)

Wildlife experts warn invasive predatory insects could devastate bee populations and other vital pollinators.

Asian hornets which gruesomely behead and eat bees could soon invade Scotland, posing a threat to the nation’s pollinators. Conservation experts warned the invasive species, which has devastated honeybee populations in Europe, is making inroads in the UK and edging ever further north.

Scots nature authorities have already held two mock exercises this year on how they would handle an incursion of Asian hornets north of the border, the Record can reveal. It follows “unprecedented” numbers spotted in Jersey in recent weeks amid the warm, dry start to Spring.

Also known as the yellow-legged hornet, a single colony if left unchecked can massacre 90,000 pollinating insects in one season - potentially disastrous for farmers as well as for nature. A carnivorous species which feeds on bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies and other pollinators, the Asian hornet has a particularly grisly method of execution.

Just one of these predatory insects can slaughter 30 bees in a day, which they do by ripping off their heads, wings and legs and feeding their bodies to the queen’s larvae.

Craig Macadam, Buglife’s Conservation Director, said: “The Yellow-legged Hornet, aka Asian Hornet, poses a significant ecological threat to Scotland with serious consequences for pollination and biodiversity.

“Early detection is crucial in preventing its establishment, so public awareness and prompt reporting represent Scotland's best defence against this emerging threat.

“The public can help prevent its establishment by learning to identify the distinctive, large, non-native hornet, reporting any potential sightings immediately to the relevant authorities through the Asian Hornet Watch app.”

The Asian hornet can be confused with other insect species, but their most distinctive characteristic is their bright yellow legs. The creatures are nearly an inch long.

The hornet invasion of Europe has caused honey production to plummet by up to 35 per cent in countries such as Portugal, while in France the loss of bees and honey has cost the economy as estimated £27million.

Asian hornets have repeatedly encroached into England since 2016, reaching as far north as Preston, Lancashire last year - just 100 miles from the Scottish border.

And with nests typically containing up to 6000 hornets, it’s feared if they ever gained a foothold, the death toll on the nation’s bees and other insects could be catastrophic.

It’s sparked an emergency response with Scots authorities accepting there is a “high risk” Asian hornets will cross the border soon.

A comprehensive contingency plan was published last year while rapid response units are being set up by wildlife agency NatureScot.

So far, there have been no confirmed sightings of Asian hornets in Scotland.

One credible sighting was made at a supermarket distribution centre in Motherwell in 2017, however it wasn’t officially logged.

It comes after 262 queen Asian hornets were recorded on Jersey as of April 11 - a worrying increase of 1090 per cent - raising fears of an imminent UK invasion.

It's thought they first entered Europe in 2014 after being accidentally imported to France via Chinese crockery.

Stan Whitaker, NatureScot’s invasive, non-native species expert, stressed it was “too early to tell” if more hornet nests than usual will be found in the UK this year.

But he added: “Yellow-legged hornets are a serious threat to honeybees and other native bees. Scottish Government, SASA and NatureScot have robust procedures in place to respond to any yellow-legged hornets found in Scotland.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “To date there has never been a confirmed sighting of the Yellow-legged Hornet, also known as Asian hornet, in Scotland, though we have contingency plans ready to be deployed if required, with our Honey Bee Health Team carrying out two test exercises this year.

“We work closely with the crown dependencies, England and Wales to monitor sightings, including the recent increase in Jersey, and share best practice on preparedness, control and eradication policies."