With the warmer weather the environment department has urged gardeners and specifically bee keepers to ensure they know their hornets...

Bee keepers are being asked to keep the lid on rumours that a giant Asian hornet has been spotted in the UK.

There have been some reports of sightings of the Asian giant hornet (Vespa manadarinia) in America - but the Department of the Environment has warned people in the UK not to confuse it with the quite separate Asian hornet (Vespa velutina).

The much more dangerous Asian giant hornet has NOT been seen in the UK.

The Asian hornet, however, is not new to the UK - with 17 confirmed sightings in England since 2016. This species is smaller than the native hornets and poses no greater risk to human health than a bee.

A DEFRA spokesman stated: " It is crucial we do not confuse these two species. If you think you have spotted an Asian hornet, report your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online.

"We are well versed at dealing with the Asian hornet, which is not native to the UK. When a sighting is confirmed, experts from the National Bee Unit (NBU) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will work quickly to find and destroy any active nests in the area. Nine nests have been destroyed since 2016, and the latest case of Asian hornet was confirmed near Christchurch, Dorset on 1 October 2019.

"While the Asian hornet is no more dangerous to humans than a bee, it is a threat to our native bee population which is why we have a robust programme in place to spot and eradicate them."

You can report sightings through the Asian hornet app or here: the non native species alert site