Protect Our Pollinators – Making Trapping Happen

https://kentdowns.org.uk/making-trapping-happen/

The Kent Downs National Landscape is known and loved for its beautiful countryside, rich in biodiversity, and long farming traditions. But this special landscape now faces a new challenge – from the invasive Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina), a species first spotted in the UK in 2016 after arriving from France.

Asian hornets, also known as yellow-legged hornets, are serious predators of our native pollinators – like butterflies, honeybees, and bumblebees – which are essential for thriving wildflowers, crops and food production. Without action, the impact on nature and farming could be severe.

Sightings tend to peak from late summer, so now’s the time to stay alert. Please report any suspected sightings using the Asian Hornet Watch App. Acting early helps us get ahead of this invasive species – especially before August and September, when new females and future queens begin to emerge.