Please report sightings of Yellow-Legged-Hornets (YLH) also known as Asian hornets on this online form or use the free Asian hornet Watch app for Apple devices android devices.
As of 19/11/2024:
71 credible Yellow-legged hornet sightings have been reported in the UK in 2024.
24 nests have been found.
Click here to view the most recent sightings
To view the location of destroyed nests, please visit the map page and choose the Asian Hornet map layer.
Yellow-legged hornet sighting information in the UK during 2024:
| Sighting Photo | Grid Ref: | Date initial sighting | Date confirmed by Lab. | Location | County | Reported by | Sighting/ Nest | Other information | Date nest destroyed | |
| 1 | Link to Image | TQ81 | 17/01/2024 | No sample | Westfield | East Sussex | Member of Public | Unconfirmed single hornet | Footwell of car | - |
| 2 | Link to Image | TR25 | 08/03/2024 | 11 March | Ash | Kent | Member of Public | Single Hornet | Hibernating in a plant pot | - |
| 3 | Link to Image | SD52 | 19/03/2024 | No sample | Preston | Lancashire | Member of Public | Unconfirmed single hornet | Warehouse | - |
| 4 | Link to Image | TQ59 | 21/03/2024 | 22/3/2024 | Romford | Greater London | Beekeeper | Single hornet worker | Dead insect on floor of workshop | - |
| 5 | Link to Image | TR24 | 8/4/2024 | No sample | Ferry | English Channel | Member of the public | Unconfirmed single hornet | - | - |
| 6 | TR23 | 7/4/2024 | No sample | Folkestone | Kent | Member of the public | Unconfirmed single hornet | - | - | |
| 7 | Link to Image | TQ82 | 13/4/2024 | 16/4/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | |
| 8 | Link to Image | TQ82 | 22/4/2024 | 24/4/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | |
| 9 | Link to Image | TQ82 | 24/4/2024 | 25/4/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | |
| 10 | Link to Image | TR13 | 5/5/2024 | 10/5/2024 | Lympne | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in conservatory | |
| 11 | Link to Image | TQ82 | 10/5/2024 | 13/05/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | |
| 12 | TQ82 | 10/5/2024 | 13/05/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring second site | ||
| 13 | Link to Image | TQ82 | 18/5/2024 | 21/05/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | |
| 14 | TR13 | 15/05/2024 | 17/05/2024 | Etching Hill | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | |||
| 15 | Link to Image | TR24 | 15/5/2024 | 17/05/204 | Denton | Kent | Beekeeper | Single hornet | AHT spring monitoring | |
| 16 | Link to Image | TR24 | 20/05/2024 | 22/05/2024 | Alkham | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | ||
| 17 | TQ82 | 20/05/2024 | 22/05/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | ||
| 18 | Link to Image | TR25 | 21/05/2025 | 24/05/2024 | Barham near Canterbury | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet and primary nest | Roof near road | 21/05/2024 |
| 19 | Link to Image | TR34 | 21/05/2024 | 24/05/2024 | St Margaret's Bay | Kent | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | |
| 20 | TR13 | 23/05/2024 | 30/05/2024 | Etchinghill | Kent | Member of the public/ Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | ||
| 21 | TQ82 | 24/05/2024 | 30/05/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | ||
| 22 | TR34 | 25/05/2024 | 30/05/2024 | Martin Mill | Kent | Member of the public | Caught in a net by Inspector | |||
| 23 | TR34 | 30/05/2024 | 04/06/2024 | Martin Mill | Kent | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | ||
| 24 | TQ82 | 04/06/2024 | 06/06/2024 | Four Oaks | East Sussex | Inspector | Single hornet | NBU spring monitoring | ||
| 25 | Link to Image | TR24 | 28/06/2024 | 03/07/2024 | Barham near Canterbury | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in conservatory | - |
| 26 | TR36 | 13/7/2024 | No sample | Ramsgate | Kent | Member of the public | Unconfirmed single hornet | Seen on the kitchen window | ||
| 27 | TQ81 | 30/7/2024 | 2/08/2024 | Great Maxfield | East Sussex | Member of the public | Multiple hornets | Captured 2 hornets |
Primary 1/8/2024 Secondary 24/09/2024 Tertiary 16/10/2024 |
|
| 28 | TR14 | 31/07/2024 | 06/08/2024 | Elham | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Dead insect in garden | ||
| 29 | TR24 | 10/08/2024 | 12/08/2024 | Lydden | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Trapped in a private garden | Primary 22/08/2024 Secondary 2/9/2024 | |
| 30 | Link to image | TR36 | 15/08/2024 | 20/08/2024 | Ramsgate | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Trap in garden | Secondary 23/08/2024 |
| 31 | Link to image | TR24 | 15/08/2024 | 19/08/2024 | Temple Ewell | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in trap | Primary 30/08/2024 |
| 32 | Link to image | TR24 | 15/08/2024 | 27/08/2024 | Alkham | Kent | Beekeeper | Multiple hornets | Found in trap | Secondary 2/9/2024 |
| 33 | TR24 | 16/08/2024 | 27/08/2024 | Alkham | Kent | Beekeeper | Single hornet | Found in trap | ||
| 34 | TR24 | 17/08/2024 | No sample | Alkham | Kent | Beekeeper | Single hornet | Caught in a bottle in a pub | ||
| 35 | TR25 | 19/08/2024 | 29/08/2024 | Goodnestone | Kent | Beekeeper | Single hornet | Attracted to apples being pressed | Secondary 2/9/2024 | |
| 36 | TR24 | 9/08/2024 | 28/08/2024 | Alkham | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in trap | ||
| 37 | TR24 | 20/08/2024 | 23/08/2024 | Ewell Minnis | Kent | Member of the public | Multiple hornets | Found in trap | ||
| 38 | TR24 | 21/08/2024 | 28/08/2024 | Alkham | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in trap | ||
| 39 | TR24 | 21/08/2024 | 28/08/2024 | Temple Newel | Kent | Member of the public | Multiple hornets | Found in trap | ||
| 40 | TR24 | 21/08/2024 | TBC | Alkham | Kent | Member of the public | Multiple hornets | Found in trap | ||
| 41 | TR36 | 22/08/2024 | 27/08/2024 | Ramsgate | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in trap | ||
| 42 | TR24 | 22/08/2024 | 30/08/2024 | Alkham | Kent | Beekeeper | Multiple hornets | Found in trap near hives | ||
| 43 | TR24 | 26/08/2024 | 30/08/2024 | Temple Ewell | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found in trap | ||
| 44 | TR36 | 23/08/2024 | No sample | Ramsgate | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Dead insect found | ||
| 45 | Link to image | TR14 | 27/08/2024 | 23/08/2024 | Elham | Kent | Member of the public and AHT | Nest | In a barbeque | Primary 3/9/2024 Secondary 3/9/2024 |
| 46 | Link to image | TQ33 | 28/08/2024 | 06/09/2024 | Ardingly | Sussex | Member of the public | Single hornet | Observed hunting |
Secondary 9/9/2024 |
| 47 | TQ81 | 28/08/2024 | No sample | Hastings | Kent | AHT | Single hornet | Attracted to honey | ||
| 48 | TR14 | 29/08/2024 | No sample | Elham | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Dead insect found | ||
| 49 | Link to image | TQ80 | 31/08/2024 | 06/09/2024 | Baldslow | Sussex | Beekeeper | Multiple hornets | Found near nest | Secondary 3/9/2024 |
| 50 | TR14 | 01/09/2024 | No sample | Eltham | Kent | Member of the public | Multiple hornets | Seen near nest | ||
| 51 | Link to image | TR13 | 04/09/2024 | TBC | Dymchurch | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Dead insect found | Primary 5/9/2024 |
| 52 | TQ91 | 05/09/2024 | 09/09/2024 | Rye | Sussex | Member of the public | Single hornet | Attracted to drinks | Primary 08/09/2024 Secondary 07/09/2024 | |
| 53 | TR02 | 07/09/2024 | TBC | Lydd | Kent | Member of the public | Multiple hornets | Playing field | Primary 08/09/2024 Secondary 08/09/2024 | |
| 54 | TR24 | 07/09/2024 | 16/09/2024 | Swingfield | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Trap | ||
| 55 | Link to image | SU40 | 14/09/2024 | TBC | Southampton | Hampshire | Member of the public | Single hornet | Garden | Secondary 24/09/2024 |
| 56 | TQ81 | 15/09/2024 | 26/09/2024 | Westfield | East Sussex | Member of the public | Single hornet | Eating apples | ||
| 57 | SU41 | 24/09/2024 | 26/09/2024 | Southampton | Hampshire | Member of the public | Single hornet | In a jar | ||
| 58 | Link to image | SU41 | 29/09/2024 | 01/10/2024 | Southampton | Hampshire | Member of the public | Single hornet | On a driveway | |
| 59 | Link to image | SU31 | 03/10/2024 | 0710/2024 | Southampton | Hampshire | Member of the public | Single hornet | In a bathroom | |
| 60 | TQ81 | 12/10/2024 | TBC | Three Oaks | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | On ivy | ||
| 61 | SU41 | 12/10/2024 | 15/10/2024 | Southampton | Hampshire | Member of the public | Single hornet | Trap | ||
| 62 | SZ79 | 16/10/2024 | 24/10/2024 | Ferry | English Channel | Member of the public | Single hornet | Found dead | ||
| 63 | Link to image | TR24 | 23/10/2024 | 28/10/2024 | Coldred | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | Eating apple | Primary 25/10/2024 |
| 64 | TR01 | 25/10/2024 | TBC | Lydd on sea | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | |||
| 65 | TQ81 | 27/10/2024 | 30/10/2024 | Udimore | East Sussex | Beekeeper | Multiple hornets | Near hive | Secondary 1/11/2024 | |
| 66 | TR24 | 27/10/2024 | TBC | Coldred | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | On ivy | ||
| 67 | TR36 | 28/10/2024 | TBC | Ramsgate | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | In garden | ||
| 68 | TR24 | 28/10/2024 | TBC | South Alkham | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | On ivy | Secondary 1/11/2023 | |
| 69 | TQ82 | 3/11/2024 | TBC | Beckley | East Sussex | Beekeeper | Single hornet | Found in trap | ||
| 70 | TQ75 | 4/11/2024 | TBC | Allington | Kent | Member of the public | Single hornet | On ivy | ||
| 71 | TQ70 | 09/11/2024 | TBC | Bexhill on Sea | East Sussex | Member of the public | Single hornet | Flew into shop | Secondary 12/11/2024 |
To note:
- Sighting photos not always available.
- 'Date of initial sighting', sometimes shows that sightings are reported retrospectively.
- 'Date confirmed by Lab' is the date sightings are confirmed formally by a laboratory and includes delivery times.
- No sample (NS)
- TBC To be confirmed.
June Genetics Update
The NBU has now drawn its spring trapping work to a close. Below is an update on the key findings and latest results of the ongoing genetic analysis.
On 4th June, a further Asian hornet was trapped in Four Oaks, East Sussex. This hornet was sent to Fera Science and was officially confirmed on 6th June. Genetic analysis will also be completed on the sample. This makes a total of 8 Asian hornets caught in this area. Genotype analysis has been completed for 7 of the hornets and the results indicate that these are all the offspring of the nest destroyed in Rye, East Sussex, on 15th November 2023.
Analysis of the single Asian hornet trapped in Denton, Kent, indicates that this was the offspring of a nest destroyed in Alkham, Kent, on 17th October 2023. This is the second occurrence where we have evidence of a UK nest reaching maturity and successfully overwintering.
The results from the genetic analysis of hornets captured at Etchinghill, Kent and St. Margaret’s Bay, Kent show that they are not offspring of any of the known nests destroyed in 2023. However, the results suggest they are related to hornets trapped during contingency action in 2023, but which could not be allocated to a known nest. This could suggest that in 2023 there were unreported nests in these areas. It is important to note that the NBU and local Asian Hornet Teams did extended surveillance across Kent at the end of the 2023 season, which did not result in the discovery of any further nests.
Genetic analysis has also been completed for the primary nest destroyed near Canterbury, Kent on 23rd May. The queen did not appear to be the offspring of any of the known nests from 2023. The nest contained only six larvae which were entirely triploid, meaning the queen had mated with at least one diploid drone. If this was the only drone that the queen had mated with, we believe the future gynes from this nest would be infertile and could not develop into a viable population.
The two other Asian hornet queens confirmed at Alkham and Lympne in Kent, do not appear to be the offspring of any known nest from 2023.