Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit’s (NBU) yellow-legged Asian hornet (YLH) update week ending 4th July.
7 further credible reports of YLH’s. This means that currently there has been a total of 52 sightings in 2025.
Kent
Five of these sightings were at different locations in Kent.
On 26th June, a hornet was caught by a beekeeper in a trap in Selsted, Dover. Following track and trace, a secondary nest was found on 2 July in a Field Maple tree.
On 29th June, a YLH was caught on a trap in Saltwood, Folkestone and Hythe. Following track and trace, a nest was found on 3rd July in ground at base of a bush and subsequently killed.
On 3rd July, a YLH was caught by a member of public in their garden in Dover. The sample has been collected, and monitoring will continue.
On 4th July, 2 separate YLH sightings were received at a bait station and trap in River, Dover. Monitoring will continue.
Dorset
On 27th June, a member of the public reported a nest in a birdbox in Verwood. The nest has been destroyed and removed.
East Sussex
On 4th July, a member of the public reported a single YLH in Chelwood Gate, an inspector attended and located a nest under house eaves. The nest has been destroyed and collected.
All samples have been sent to Fera Science for analysis.
In an update to the report in Chilham, Kent last week, on 1st July following track and trace activity by inspectors, a nest was found in the base of a tree. The nest has been destroyed and left in situ.
Where beekeepers reported individual hornets, they have been asked to set up feed stations to establish regular feeding sites, ahead of the NBU returning to conduct track and trace in the area to locate the nest.
Three of the dates in our previous email were incorrect. The details provided on BeeBase are correct. https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/about-us/beekeeping-news/yellow-legged-hornet-2025-rolling-update.
