How the UK has responded to the yellow-legged Asian hornet?

Abstract

The yellow-legged Asian hornet was firstly spotted in 2004 in France, then firstly reported in 2016 in England. Before that, the UK Government had prepared to respond this species, based on learning from the situation in France, and had published the risk assessment in 2011 and the response plan in 2012. Based on the plan, the Government had set up information system for the public to submit information and dispatch the staff to France to have training for removal operation in 2014. As of the end of April 2022, there have been 22 sightings including 12 nests; all of them have been destroyed and any overwintering nest has not been found. Those Government’s responses have been supported by beekeepers’ organized vigilance and information from the public, which is one kind of citizen science. This is the noteworthy case of a nation-wide successful rapid response case based on advance preparation.