UK dealing with Asian hornet ‘explosion’ as killer bugs unfold throughout the nation
The potentially-deadly hornets used to be found on the coast but are increasingly spreading inland, with 2026 set to be one of the worst years ever for the invasive species
The numbers of Asian hornets in the UK is set to soar(Image: PA)
Britain is facing an explosion in the number of Asian hornets because of soaring temperatures. Boffins have warned that with the Met Office predicting another of the UK’s hottest summers it will boost the invasive species.
Expert Luke Newnes said: “With 2026 tracking as one of the warmest years in recent records, the warmer conditions are likely to accelerate emergence activity.”
Asian hornets, which can eat 11kg of insects in a season, pose a threat to British honeybees as they make up a third of their diets.
The aggressive pests also munch on other vital pollinators such as moths, flies, butterflies and other types of bees. Asian hornets were first sighted in the UK in 2016 but last year they successfully survived winter for the first time.
The number of nests found in Britain in 2025 rocketed by almost seven times to 161 – up from 24 the year before. A nest can produce dozens of queens, meaning that if one nest is missed, 30 more can crop up the following year.
Mr Newnes added: “The concern with Asian hornets is how quickly populations can scale once queens establish successfully.
“What makes 2026 particularly concerning is the acceleration we’re now seeing in both sightings and geographical spread.
“We’re no longer talking about isolated coastal incidents. Sightings are appearing much further inland, and many experts now believe the focus has shifted from eradication to long-term management.”
In the UK, they are most commonly found in the south and south-east regions of England – but in September last year a nest was seen in Runcorn, Cheshire.
Niall Gallagher, the technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, warned that it was “crucial” to prevent the spread of the species, saying they would “disrupt our native ecosystems and impact crop production”.
University of Exeter conservationist Dr Peter Kennedy added: “The only means of halting the spread, or limiting it, is to find and destroy nests as soon as possible.”
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