Asian Hornet threat to Manx Bees, says DEFA

'A highly aggressive predator of native insects'

A public call for vigilance has been issue by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture to tackle the threat posed by the Asian hornet.

Biodiversity officers at DEFA have drawn up an action plan to combat the potential devastation to the Manx Honeybee population and its resulting economic impact on agriculture.

Native to East Asia, the Hornet was accidentally introduced to France in 2004 and has since spread rapidly through parts of Europe with eradications now taking place across the UK.

An identification sheet on the non native species can be found here.

Anyone who suspects they may have spotted an Asian hornet should contact DEFA on 685835.