BeeBase News

• Yellow-Legged Hornet Analyses

  In December 2025 Defra confirmed that the NBU will not be asked to carry out spring trapping for YLH in England in 2026. This decision was taken in response to the high number and geographic spread of later season nest finds during 2025.

  At the BHAF meeting held on 5th March, a Fera-based PhD student, gave a presentation about the work she had done during her PhD on kinship analyses of YLH nests found and destroyed in England from 2016 to 2024. The results from these analyses suggested that there is a limited established population of YLH in England. It is likely that there will be further evidence of kinship relatedness from the analyses of nests destroyed in 2025 (report to be submitted shortly). Nevertheless, Defra remain committed to taking action against YLH and have asked the NBU to take action to find and destroy nests later in the 2026 season.

  With these findings and the number of samples involved, it has been difficult for the laboratory to complete analyses of YLH to provide information in a timely manner for the field to adapt during the live response to YLH. As a result, Fera will not be commissioned to carry out genetic analyses of YLHs found in England in 2026.

  

  In England, previously the NBU followed up credible spring sightings and then arranged to collect the sample. However, as these samples will not be analysed, whilst contact will still be made with the reporter, no sample recovery will be undertaken. Please ask your members and Yellow Legged Asian Hornet teams to continue to report sightings so that we will have records of where and how many hornets have been sighted to inform later season developments. A summary of these findings will still be reported on a weekly basis via BHAF and updated on BeeBase.

  Welsh government have commissioned the NBU to carry out spring trapping in Wales and will follow the previously established process. The position with respect to genetic analyses of YLHs found in Wales will be confirmed separately.

  Later in the season when nests are more likely to be present, Defra have asked the NBU to follow up credible sightings to find and destroy nests.

  We are very grateful for the actions that you take and support you provide in dealing with YLH.

  Defra Bee Health Policy Team

   

   

• Hive Count 2025 - Results

  

  Over 10,000 beekeepers updated their details on BeeBase during the 2025 hive count compared to over 9,500 in 2024. 

  The 2025 hive count produced a figure of 257,976 colonies in the UK. This is higher than the 2024 figure of 252,647.Responses indicated there was a decrease of 0.2 hive per beekeeper on average, but an increase in the total number of beekeepers. 

  The Hive Count provides a useful indication of the number of managed colonies in the UK and helps ensure that BeeBase records are kept up to date. Information about numbers and location of hives is important for the National Bee Unit and Scottish Government inspectors in terms of preparing and planning for outbreaks of disease and exotic pests.

  Thank you very much to everyone who has taken the time to ensure that their BeeBase records are up to date.

• Yellow-legged hornet 2026 rolling update

  Please report sightings of Yellow-legged hornets (YLH), also known as Asian hornets, on this online form or download the free Asian hornet Watch app for Apple devices or android devices.

  As of 08/05/2026:

  To view the location of destroyed nests, please visit the map page and choose the Asian Hornet map layer.

  Yellow-legged hornet location information in England and Wales from January 2026 to June 2026

   

  #	Grid Ref:	Location	County	Type	Date initial sighting	Reported by	Links to images / Notes
  1	SE60	Doncaster	South Yorkshire	Sighting	26/02/2026	Member of the public	No sample
  2	TL18	Sawtry	Cambridgeshire	Sighting	13/03/2026	Member of the public
  3	TR35	Nonington	Kent	Sighting	08/04/2026	Beekeeper	Link to image
  4	TR24	Densole	Kent	Sighting	08/04/2026	Member of the public	Found in outbuilding Link to image
  5	TQ35	Oxted	Surrey	Sighting	09/04/2026	Member of the public	Alive in house
  6	TR15	Kingston	Kent	Sighting	11/04/2026	Member of the public	Link to image
  7	TR25	Nonington	Kent	Sighting	11/04/2026	Beekeeper	Caught in trap Link to image
  8	TR35	Sandwich	Kent	Sighting	10//04/2026	Member of the public
  9	SK36	Chesterfield	Derbyshire	Embryo nest	26/04/2026	Member of the public	Link to image Link to image
  10	SU31	Southampton	Hampshire	Sighting	27/04/2026	Member of the public	Flew from conservatory
  11	SK32	Repton	South Derbyshire	Sighting	27/04/2026	Member of the public	Insect intercepted
  12	SK52	Rushcliffe	Nottinghamshire	Sighting	27/04/2026	Member of the public	Insect intercepted
  13	SU41	Southampton	Hampshire	Sighting	27/04/2026	Member of the public	Flew away
  14	TQ93	Leigh Green	Kent	Sighting	30/04/2026	Member of the public	Insect intercepted in house
  15	TR24	Coldred	Kent	Sighting	01/5/2026	Member of the public	Insect intercepted in shed
  16	TR24	Densole	Kent	Sighting	03/5/2026	Member of the public	Flew into garage
  17	TR23	Folkestone	Kent	Sighting	04/05/2026	Member of the public

   

• Spring trapping in Caergwrle near Wrexham in Wales

  Spring trapping to take place in the Caergwrle area, near Wrexham in Wales

  Following the finding of a dead yellow-legged hornet nest in the Caergwrle area, near Wrexham, the Welsh Government (WG) has asked the National Bee Unit (NBU) to undertake local targeted Spring trapping. They will place selective traps within a 5km radius around the site. It is important to carry out trapping in a way that minimises the impact on non-target, native insects (bycatch). To reduce the risk of bycatch, the NBU will be using Vespa Catch Select traps, which will be checked regularly. (Please note, this is not an endorsement of a particular trap, other traps are available from other manufacturers and trap design is evolving all the time.) Trapping will commence in mid-April until the end of June. However, if sightings of yellow-legged hornet are confirmed during this period, and evidence supports the likelihood of worker activity, the NBU will switch to outbreak response and will commence actions to find and destroy nests. This is considered to be the most effective control mechanism against the yellow-legged hornet.

  At this stage, Welsh Government is not committing to wider or routine Spring trapping across Wales. Future decisions will be based on the pattern of any further nests, the developing evidence, and expert advice. Our approach will remain precautionary, proportionate, and led by the best available science and evidence.

  We rely on beekeepers and members of the public to report and provide a photo of suspected sightings of yellow -legged hornet using this online form or the free Asian Hornet Watch app for Apple devices or Android devices. To highlight that YLH have been found in Wales, WG has produced a new leaflet, Yellow-legged hornet: what to look out for | GOV.WALES.

  Yellow-legged Asian Hornet Teams play a very important role in a response and WG and the NBU would like to thank them for their continued efforts. We would welcome and strongly encourage all associations in Wales to establish teams if they have not done so already. Having a network of teams across Wales, working in partnership with the NBU, to report sightings of yellow-legged hornets and to heighten awareness of the hornets in communities will help us stop this invasive insect from spreading.  For more details on the use of selective traps and monitoring stations for yellow-legged hornet monitoring, please view the fact sheet on yellow-legged hornet monitoring (please note there are now newer versions of some of the traps pictured available).

• Vacancy - Bee Health Operational Lead (Outbreak)

  The National Bee Unit has a vacancy for a SEO Bee Health Operational Delivery Lead (Outbreak). If you are interested in applying, please follow the link below to the advertisement in the Civil Service Jobs and apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 13th April 2026.

  Bee Health Operational Delivery Lead - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK

  If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact the Plant and Bee Health Recruitment Team - phsijobs@apha.gov.uk.