Asian Hornet Identification
Try our Asian Hornet quiz intended to help you recognise Asian Hornets and to ensure you know what to do if you should see one.
Each time you try the quiz it will give you a different mix of questions.
Congratulations!! You obviously have a good knowledge of how to identify Asian Hornet, and what to do about it if you do find one. Please be vigilant during the summer months and use your knowledge to help keep all our bees safe. Ooops! If you scroll down the page, you can see the correct answers and an explanation for those which were not correct. You can find more information about Asian Hornet at the National Bee Unit website Beebase. Why not take a look and then come back and have another go at our quiz. It is important that all beekeepers can identify the Asian Hornet quickly and accurately if we are going to keep our bees safe. Asian Hornets are active from April to December and so could be seen at any time during this period. However, as the nest gets bigger their requirement for protein increases. Experience over the past few years has shown that Asian Hornets are most likely to be predating on honeybee hives in late summer – August, September and into October. Three of the photos are of Asian Hornet nests. The fourth is a European Hornet nest. The nests are similar in appearance, especially from a distance. This is a Giant Wood Wasp photographed in Cheshire. The yellow legs can cause confusion as one of the key identification features for the Asian Hornet is it’s yellow legs. If possible sightings should be reported through the Asian Hornet Watch Application, available for free download to Android and iPhone mobiles. Other methods of reporting the hornet include using the NNSS online notification form or you can send any suspect sightings to the Non Native Species email address alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk Where possible, a photo, the location of the sighting and a description of the insect seen should be included. When monitoring for the presence of Asian Hornet using a trap, it is important that the trap does not kill any beneficial insects. The trap shown as the correct answer includes a mesh to prevent the trapped insects drowning in the bait. Even with this type of trap, it is important that it is checked on a daily basis and any beneficial insects are released safely. A. is a wasp B. is a honeybee C. is an Asian Hornet D. is a European Hornet Asian Hornets are between 25 – 30mm long Asian Hornets will defend their nests vigorously. Do not approach any nest you may find. Report the nest location using the Asian Hornet Watch application. If possible, include a photo of the nest or any flying insects. This is the infamous ‘cauliflower hornet’ found by a homeowner in Bury, Lancashire in April 2018.
Results
TRY THE QUIZ AGAIN
#1. When are you most likely to see Asian Hornets hawking in front of beehives?
#2. Which of the following is NOT an Asian Hornet nest?
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Photos courtesy The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Crown Copyright
#3. What is this insect?
#4. What is the preferred way to report a possible sighting?
#5. Which type of trap is recommended for Asian Hornet monitoring?
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Photo courtesy The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Crown Copyright
#6. Which of these images is of an Asian Hornet?
#7. What colour is the Asian Hornet’s abdomen?
#8. How long is an Asian Hornet worker (head to tail)?
#9. What should you do if you find an Asian Hornet nest?
#10. Identify the insect in the photo
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Photo courtesy The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Crown Copyright
You can find out more about Asian Hornet HERE or on the National Bee Unit website.