South Antrim MP presses Andrew Muir for answers on Asian hornet containment

Invasive species: The Asian hornet, otherwise known as a yellow-legged hornet was discovered for the first time in Northern Ireland.

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has written to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir seeking urgent clarification on Northern Ireland’s response to the confirmed presence of an Asian hornet, warning that the invasive species poses a serious threat to local honeybees, pollinators, and biodiversity.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) confirmed last week that an Asian hornet – also known as a yellow-legged hornet – was captured by a vigilant member of the public in Dundonald, Belfast, on 10 October.

The find marks the first ever recorded sighting of the species in Northern Ireland.

The NIEA has since deployed specialist monitoring equipment, live traps, and visual surveys to determine whether this was an isolated incident or evidence of a wider incursion.

The agency is also working closely with the National Biodiversity Data Centre through the Shared Island Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, drawing on lessons from recent infestations in Cork and Cobh, where two nests were discovered and destroyed earlier this summer.

Mr Swann said the Belfast sighting will cause “understandable concern” among Northern Ireland’s beekeeping and environmental communities, many of whom have already raised fears about the potential devastation the hornet could cause to native bee colonies.

“Northern Ireland’s beekeepers play a vital role in supporting both agriculture and biodiversity,”

said Mr Swann.

“They need timely information, reassurance and practical assistance as this situation develops.”

In his letter, Mr Swann asked Minister Muir to confirm what support and advice are being provided to local beekeepers, what assessment has been made of the threat to hives, and how DAERA intends to respond in the absence of a dedicated Bee Inspector.

He also called for a public update on the NIEA’s containment and monitoring efforts, as well as the status of the Northern Ireland Rapid Response Contingency Plan for Asian Hornet, published in 2020 to outline how authorities should act in the event of a confirmed sighting.

The plan, available on the DAERA website, is currently under review alongside the Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Northern Ireland.

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina), native to East Asia, was first recorded in Europe in 2004 and has spread rapidly through France and the British Isles.

In the UK, increasing numbers have been recorded across southern England, where nests have been removed by DEFRA’s National Bee Unit. The species is known to prey on honeybees, wasps and other pollinators, posing a severe risk to local ecosystems and agricultural productivity.

Minister Andrew Muir has previously stated that the Department’s focus is to ensure the hornet does not establish itself in Northern Ireland, describing it as “a harmful species that presents a serious threat to both biosecurity and local ecology.”

Members of the public are being urged to remain vigilant and report any suspected Asian hornet sightings using the Asian Hornet Watch app or the CEDaR invasive species portal.

Suspected nests should not be disturbed, but reported immediately to allow for safe removal.

Identification resources are also available via the National Bee Unit and Invasive Species NI.