Is it an Asian hornet?

How to identify a yellow-legged hornet

The yellow-legged hornet (*Vespa velutina*) is an invasive species from east Asia, first found in France in 2004. Workers are about 25 mm long and queens about 30 mm. Look for:

• a very dark, almost black, velvety body
• one wide orange-yellow band on the fourth segment of the abdomen
• legs that look as if dipped in yellow paint
• a black head with an orange-yellow face

How to tell it from a European hornet

The native European hornet (*Vespa crabro*) is larger, with workers around 25 mm and queens up to about 35 mm. It has a reddish-brown thorax and broad yellow bands across much of the abdomen, and its legs are brown. It looks warmer and more yellow overall, and it is a native species that does not need reporting.

Other lookalikes include the giant woodwasp, large hoverflies and ordinary wasps. The Asian Hornet Watch app has an ID guide to compare them. You will not tell them apart reliably from memory, so a photo matters.

Is it harmful, and why does it matter?

Yellow-legged hornets prey heavily on honey bees and other pollinators, and an established colony could harm bees and native insects. Their stings are painful and can be serious if a nest is disturbed. This is why the species is treated as a priority invasive species: it should be reported, and nests are destroyed by the authorities.

They are seen only in small numbers in Great Britain, usually in the south, and are normally found and dealt with quickly. Most large hornet-like insects in UK gardens are not Asian hornets.

How to report a sighting

1. Stay at a safe distance. Do not touch, capture or try to remove it or any nest. 2. Take a clear photograph if you safely can. UKCEH says a photo is very important and sightings without one are much less likely to be followed up. 3. Report it using the Asian Hornet Watch app (iPhone and Android), the online form on the GB Non-native Species Secretariat site (nonnativespecies.org/alerts/asianhornet), or by email to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk with the photo and location.

Confirmed sightings are published by the APHA National Bee Unit on BeeBase.

When a professional is worth it

Do not call a private pest firm for a suspected Asian hornet: the response is led by the authorities, and no one should treat the nest themselves. A private contractor does not replace reporting. A professional is worth hiring for ordinary wasp nests, bees that are not honey bees, or European hornets. See wasp nest removal. Never disturb a nest near doors, roof spaces or other access points yourself.