How to monitor for the Yellow Legged ‘Asian Hornet’ 

 

August is an important month for UK beekeepers to step up monitoring for the Yellow Legged Asian Hornet ('YLAH'), Vespa velutina. As summer progresses, colonies of this invasive, non-native species grow rapidly, and worker hornets become increasingly active. Sightings can increase towards the end of July and through late summer, making August a particularly useful time to monitor apiaries as well as the wider landscape.

 

Vigilance is especially important in southern parts of England and Wales and around major ports. The Yellow Legged Asian Hornet is active between April and November, with activity peaking in August and September, and is inactive over the winter.

 

For beekeepers, the message is simple: 
1.    Know what you are looking for; 
2.    Monitor regularly; and, 
3.    Report suspected sightings immediately.

 

How to Identify a Yellow Legged Asian Hornet

 

The Yellow Legged Asian Hornet (YLAH) is generally smaller than the native European Hornet, Vespa crabro. It has a predominantly dark body, a broad yellow-orange band towards the rear of the abdomen, an orange-toned face and distinctive yellow tips to its legs.

 

Identification can be challenging because the UK has several insects that may be mistaken for a YLAH. The European Hornet, in particular, is a native species and should not be confused with the non-native, invasive YLAH.

 

Keep an identification guide readily available in the apiary, such as this Yellow Legged Asian Hornet preserved in acrylic. Consider downloading the ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app before you need it as the app provides identification information (as well as a way to report sightings). The government also provide a free ID sheet and poster, which you can find here.

 

Where to Look for Asian Hornets in August

 

Start with your apiary. Watch the hive entrances and surrounding areas for unusual hornet activity, particularly if you notice hornets repeatedly hawking in front of colonies.

 

It is also worth looking at flowering plants and other food sources around the apiary.  While adult hornets are predatory and hunt other insects to feed their larvae, they visit flowers, ivy, and ripening fruit to feed on nectar and sap for their own energy needs. Ivy, Hedera helix, becomes particularly relevant later in the season because hornets and other insects are attracted to its flowers when little else is flowering.

 

Do not restrict your observations to the apiary itself. Check nearby gardens, hedgerows, orchards and other areas where insects are abundant. A hornet seen away from a hive may still provide an important clue about activity in the surrounding area.

 

Using Asian Hornet Monitoring Traps Responsibly

 

Late summer is an appropriate period for monitoring in suitable circumstances, particularly around previous risk points and locations where nests have occurred. The BBKA recommends late-summer monitoring as part of wider surveillance.

 

However, trapping should be undertaken responsibly. Monitoring traps are not the same as kill traps. Furthermore, non-target insects can be caught in monitoring traps, so any monitoring equipment must be appropriate and checked regularly. The current advice is to use modified traps specifically designed to allow smaller non-target insects to escape and avoid by-catch (European Hornets require particular care because they can also enter traps).

 

Traps such as the Trap-X Asian Hornet Trap utilise a selective trapping design, helping to improve selectivity and reduce the capture of non-target insects.

 

You can use a homemade lure to attract the Yellow Legged Asian Hornet. However, ensure that any DIY lure does not attract honeybees. You can find more information about creating an attractive lure here. 

 

Alternatively, there are many lures available to purchase, including ready-to-use options. VespaLure is a high-performance attractant, developed to attract Yellow Legged Asian Hornets and wasps effectively. Made in the UK from natural plant-based ingredients with no insecticides and containing a bee deterrent.  It is safe and easy to use, proven in the field, and designed to be environmentally responsible, effectively attracting the target species without impacting the natural eco-balance. Each 500g pack of VespaLure powder makes 2 litres of lure.

 

Never trap and release a suspected Yellow Legged Asian Hornet. If you find one in a trap, keep people away from it, take a photograph if it is safe to do so, and report it immediately for further instructions.

 

What to Do If You See an Asian Hornet

 

If you spot a suspected Asian hornet, don't panic and don't try to catch it by hand.

1. Take a photograph, if you can do so safely

 

A clear photograph can make identification much easier. Don't put yourself at risk or approach an active nest simply to obtain a picture.

 

If the hornet flies away, note the direction it travelled. Details such as where you saw it, what it was feeding on, and its behaviour can also be useful.

 

2. Report the sighting immediately

 

The preferred reporting route is via the ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app. However, suspected sightings can also be submitted through the online recording system or reported by email to: alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk.  Please ensure you include the full location, a photo (and/or video) and your contact details. 

 

Don't wait until you are completely certain. Reporting a suspected sighting allows it to be assessed by the appropriate experts. Many reports turn out to be other insects, but credible reports can trigger further investigation by the National Bee Unit.

 

3. Do not disturb a nest

 

If you discover what appears to be an Asian hornet nest, do not approach, disturb or attempt to destroy it yourself!

 

Nests are often found in trees but can also be found in hedges, bushes, buildings or other locations and can contain large numbers of hornets. The National Bee Unit has specialist procedures for locating, tracking and dealing with suspected nests.

 

Record the location from a safe distance and report it immediately.

 

4. Let the specialists take over

 

Once a credible sighting has been reported, the information can be assessed and passed to the appropriate authorities. The National Bee Unit may investigate and, where necessary, use specialist track-and-trace techniques to locate the nest. Local British Beekeeping Association (BBKA) YLAH Teams can also play an important role in supporting identification and monitoring.

 

Your job is to provide good information and avoid disrupting the situation. Do not under any circumstances disturb or provoke an active hornet nest. 

 

Your Monthly Asian Hornet Monitoring Checklist

 

A few minutes of purposeful observation, each time you visit an apiary, can make a difference. Build Yellow Legged Asian Hornet surveillance into your normal summer routine, including the following steps:

 

• Check hive entrances for unusual hornet activity;
• Look at flowering plants and other likely feeding sites;
• Keep your identification guide or ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app to hand;
• Check any monitoring equipment, such as bait traps, regularly;
• Use a bait trap that utilises a selective trapping design, helping to improve selectivity and reduce the capture of non-target insects, such as the Trap-X Asian Hornet Trap;
• Record unusual observations, including location and behaviour, ideally obtaining photographs where possible;
• Report suspected sightings promptly;
• Never disturb an active nest; and
• Keep National Bee Unit contact details accessible.

 

It is also worth checking the latest confirmed sighting information and keeping your apiary details up to date on BeeBase, so that you can receive relevant alerts. The National Bee Unit (NBU) and British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) specifically encourage beekeepers to keep their apiary and contact information current.

 

Current Status of Asian Hornet Sightings in the UK

 

There were 99 credible reports logged by mid-summer 2026, following heavy pressure in 2025 which saw over 544 reports and 161 destroyed nests. Sightings remain heavily concentrated in southern and southeastern England, such as Kent, Sussex and Dorset. Confirmations of overwintering in southern regions highlights the necessity of localised spring and summer monitoring. 

 

Why Early Reporting Matters

 

The importance of reporting goes beyond an individual apiary. The Yellow Legged Asian Hornet preys heavily on insects, including honeybees, and established populations could put pressure on honeybees and other native pollinators.

 

August is therefore a good time to remind every beekeeper in your association to remain alert, not just those in areas with previous sightings.

 

A suspected hornet, a good photograph and an accurate location may provide the National Bee Unit with the information it needs to investigate promptly.

 

See it!  Snap it!  Send it!

 

For current identification and reporting guidelines, see the British Beekeepers Association Asian Hornet Guidance.