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A ‘killer’ creature branded as one of the top threats facing Jersey has been captured in gruesome detail by a local amateur photographer, hoping to spread the word about the invasive species.
The Asian Hornet was caught on camera by islander Nigel Errington, after it was trapped at Mont Cambral near Mont Felard, the latest hive site to be tracked down.
‘Vespa velutina’ bugs may only be marginally over an inch long, but they pack one hell of a sting.
But attacks on humans aren’t the fear: Asian hornets are aggressive predators of pollinators, posing a significant threat to the island’s struggling honeybee population.
Pictured: The nest at Mont Cambral, near Mont Felard.
They hunt down bees outside their hives, before ripping their heads off and pulping their body to return to the nest as a meal.
And that isn’t the only risk: the invasive species’ presence can also have a knock-on effect for creatures that feed on insects within Jersey’s environment, such as bats and toads.
First arriving on the island some years ago, the species have unfortunately now colonised Jersey, and islanders are being urged to learn how to identify the critters.
Mr Errington told Express he hopes his photos will help spread this understanding.
In nightmarish detail, his photographs of a female – identifiable from her stinger – show the insect’s dark velvety body featuring a fine yellow band that help distinguish it from other hornets. Another image captures it curled up on a 10 pence piece, showcasing its considerable size.
Pictured: The hornet on a 10p, putting its size into perspective.
Shared with members of the Jersey Beekeepers Association (JBKA) on social media, the photos drew comparisons with ‘Alien’ due to the insect’s sinister appearance.
It has been an especially busy summer for the JBKA, who are spearheading hornet-hunting efforts and have taken down more than 20 nests and partnered with the University of Exeter and Environment Department for research into detection, tracking and nest finding.
While most nests were discovered in trees, one unlucky islander described being in “hornet hell” after it emerged last month that up to 1,000 of the beasts were living in her roof.
With the invasive species now having hit the mainland, UK experts are now keeping a close eye on how Jersey is tackling the issue. The JBKA Facebook group now has over 75 members from the UK, as well as over 100 from France, 10 from the US, three from Australia and two from both Portugal and Egypt.
Islanders might be doing their best to curb the hornet population’s growth, but the government’s Natural Environment Director Willie Peggie acknowledged that they might become a reality Jersey must simply learn to live with.
Video: The hornets that made on islander's life "hell" after it emerged they were living in her roof.
As Jersey geared up to welcome scientists, experts and government officials as part of an British-Irish Council meeting dedicated to the issue earlier this month, Mr Peggie said: “We have to accept that the eradication of Asian hornets is not a realistic goal as Jersey is most likely to be reinvaded by queen hornets from France each spring.
“Instead we must help Jersey beekeepers to adapt their management strategies to keep their bee colonies and apiaries as safe as possible, and the States must build the expertise, infrastructure and capability to react rapidly to reports of nests that might pose public health risks.”
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