Public tip-offs help track down Asian hornet nests

Islanders are being urged to report any Asian hornet nests as the government looks to "track down and remove them".

Asian hornets are an invasive species and an aggressive predator of many types of insect, especially honey bees.

The States of Guernsey said its Asian Hornets Team recently removed five secondary nests in the space of a week, taking the total number of nests taken down in 2026 to 14.

The government said, of the five nests found, three were located due to tip-offs from the public.

The States urged anyone who may spot a nest, or the invasive insects themselves, to report the sightings as it wants to stop the insect becoming prevalent on the island.

Officials said the non-native species posed a major threat to the island's biodiversity, with 39% of the hornets' diet being honey bees.

It said each nest had "its own unique challenges", such as one which was found in a hedge close to a driveway and had already grown to a "considerable size".

People have been urged take extra care when cutting hedges or dense vegetation.

Officials said if hornets were flying in and out of the same area it could indicate that there is a nest in the hedge.

The biggest Asian hornet nest of the season was found in September with an estimated 2,000 hornets inside.

Asian hornets were first detected in Guernsey in 2017.

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.