Please be on the alert.

A telephone call from a resident in Alton has been received by Hampshire beekeepers – the person comes from Guernsey and is used to seeing Asian Hornets on the Channel Islands – saying that she observed an Asian Hornet in her garden, near the Kings Pond area surrounded by trees.

Given her experience and the environment of her dwelling plus the fact that a hornet was found near Alton in summer 2018, she is a credible witness. She did not have a camera or photo of the hornet.

The NBU, NNSS and Bee Inspectors have been alerted but they cannot be expected to waste time, without tangible evidence, on unverified sightings – of which they receive many.

As we know, Asian Hornet workers are busy at this time of year, beginning to establish secondary nests and needing copious amounts of water to do so. So get those traps and lures out now – here’s a link to our page on how to make your own and baits.

://www.swhbk.org.uk/asian-hornet-traps-and-lures

Please use the free Asian Hornet Watch app with photographic evidence as this the most efficient way of reporting a sighting and/or contact ahat@swbhk.org.uk – 07849 102621.