BeeBase News

• Healthy Bees Plan 2030: Provision of Hive Side Training - Tender

  We are seeking up to three contractors to provide hive side training to intermediate hobbyist beekeepers to teach beekeepers how to recognise pests and diseases and ensure good husbandry practices.

  The requirement is separated into three lots covering three regions:

  Lot 1: North of England and Midlands

  Lot 2: South of England

  Lot 3: Wales

  Please visit the Find a Tender pages on the Gov.uk website for further details.

• Yellow-legged hornet 2025 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 26/09/2025:

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

  476 credible yellow-legged hornet sightings have been reported in the UK in 2025.

  130 nests have been found: [click here to go to the most recent nests found]

  #	Location	County	Type	Date found	Links to images / Notes
  1	Langley	Kent	Embryo	16/04/25
  2	Hythe	Hampshire	Embryo	13/05/25	Sample not obtainable and no official confirmation
  3	Chartham	Kent	Primary	27/05/25
  4	Shoreham	Sussex	Primary	10/06/25
  5	Wye	Kent	Primary	07/06/25
  6	Ashford	Kent	Primary	10/06/25
  7	Hythe	Kent	Primary	10/06/25
  8	Kennington, Ashford	Kent	Primary	11/06/25
  9	Hawkinge	Kent	Primary	17/06/25
  10	Coolinge, Folkestone	Kent	Primary	23/06/25
  11	Walmer, Deal	Kent	Primary	25/06/25
  12	Chilham	Kent	Primary	01/07/25
  13	Selsted, Dover	Kent	Secondary	02/07/25
  14	Verwood	East Dorset	Primary	30/06/25
  15	Saltwood	Kent	Primary	03/07/25
  16	Chelwood gate	Eat Sussex	Secondary	04/07/25
  17	Dover	Kent	Primary	09/07/25
  18	Dover	Kent	Secondary	10/07/25
  19	Stelling Minnis	Kent	Secondary	15/07/25
  20	Hythe	Kent	Secondary	15/07/25
  21	Staple	Kent	Primary	16/07/25
  22	Ilford (Barkingside)	Greater London	Secondary	17/07/25
  23	Udimore	East Sussex	Secondary	17/07/25
  24	River	Kent	Primary	17/07/25
  25	Whistable	Kent	Secondary	18/07/25
  26	Sissinghurst Castle	Kent	Secondary	18/07/25
  27	Rochester	Kent	Primary	23/07/25
  28	Verwood	Dorset	Secondary	23/07/25
  29	Harrietsham	Kent	Primary	24/07/25
  30	Higham	Kent	Secondary	24/07/25
  31	Church Hougham	Kent	Secondary	27/07/25
  32	Broad Oak	East Sussex	Secondary	28/07/25
  33	Broadstairs	Kent	Primary	28/07/25
  34	Sandgate	Kent	Secondary	29/07/25
  35	Sedlescombe	Sussex	Primary	29/07/25
  36	Hythe 2	Kent	Secondary	30/07/25
  37	Sandgate 2	Kent	Secondary	29/07/25
  38	Hastings	East Sussex	Secondary	29/07/25
  39	Langdon Cliffs	Kent	Secondary	30/07/25
  40	Langdon Cliffs	Kent	Primary	30/07/25
  41	Betteshanger	Kent	Secondary	30/07/25
  42	Hemsted	Kent	Secondary	30/07/25
  43	Stone Crouch		Primary	20/08/25
  44	R.Tunbridge Wells	Kent	Secondary	31/07/25
  45	Hempstead	Kent	Primary	01/08/25
  46	Whitstable	Kent	Primary	31/07/25
  47	Seabrook	Kent	Primary	08/08/25
  48	Stelling Minnis	Kent	Rebuilding	08/08/25
  49	Selsted	Kent	Rebuilding	04/08/25
  50	Wakehurst	West Sussex	Secondary	03/08/25
  51	Headcorn	Kent	Secondary	03/08/25
  52	Tenterden	Kent	Secondary	05/08/25
  53	Dymchurch	Kent	Secondary	06/08/25
  54	Woodchurch	Kent	Secondary	08/08/25
  55	Harrietsham	Kent	Secondary	08/08/25
  56	Stone Crouch	East Sussex	Secondary	30/07/25
  57	Stodmarsh	Kent	Primary	09/08/25
  58	Wye	Kent	Secondary	09/08/25
  59	Cranbrook	Kent	Secondary	06/08/25
  60	River	Kent	Secondary	11/08/25
  61	Walmer, Deal	Kent	Secondary	12/08/25
  62	Weavering	Kent	Secondary	12/08/25
  63	Western Heights, Dover	Kent	Primary	13/08/25
  64	Ilford, Barkingside	Greater London	Secondary	14/08/25
  65	Ashford	Kent	Secondary	15/08/25
  66	Exted	Kent	Primary	14/08/25
  67	Chilham	Kent	Secondary	15/08/25
  68	Wingham	Kent	Secondary	17/08/25
  69	Thanington	Kent	Secondary	17/08/25
  70	Holmbury,Dorking	Surrey	Secondary	18/08/25
  71	Lenham	Kent	Secondary	18/08/25
  72	Wittersham	Kent	Secondary	19/08/25
  73	Udimore	East Sussex	Primary	20/08/25
  74	Udimore	East Sussex	Secondary	20/08/25
  75	Four Oaks	East Sussex	Secondary	20/08/25
  76	Wittersham 2	Kent	Secondary	21/08/25
  77	Ivy Hatch	Kent	Secondary	22/08/25
  78	Dover Central	Kent	Secondary	22/08/25
  79	Ospringe	Kent	Secondary	21/08/25
  80	Ripple	Kent	Secondary	23/08/25
  81	Cranbrook 2	Kent	Secondary	23/08/25
  82	Plaxtol	Kent	Primary	24/08/25
  83	Dover castle	Kent	Secondary	25/08/25
  84	Capel le Ferne 1	Kent	Secondary	26/08/25
  85	Runcorn	Cheshire	Secondary	27/08/25	Link to image
  86	Adisham	Kent	Secondary	27/08/25
  87	Langton	North Yorkshire	Secondary	27/08/25	Link to image Link to image
  88	Deal 2	Kent	Secondary	29/08/25
  89	Broadstairs 2	Kent	Secondary	30/08/25
  90	Folkestone	Kent	Secondary	31/08/25	Link to image
  91	Blean	Kent	Secondary	31/08/25	Link to image
  92	Capel le Ferne 2	Kent	Secondary	02/09/25
  93	Church Hougham 2	Kent	Primary	02/09/25	Link to image
  94	Portslade, Brighton and Hove	East Sussex	Secondary	03/09/25
  95	Church Hougham 3	Kent	Primary	03/09/25	Link to image
  96	Bromley	Greater London	Secondary	04/09/25	Link to image
  97	Chelwood Gate	East Sussex	Secondary	04/09/2025
  98	Herne Bay	Kent	Secondary	04/09/2025
  99	R Tunbridge Wells	Kent	Secondary	05/09/2025
  100	Dover	Kent	Primary	05/09/2025
  101	Sedlescombe	East Sussex	Secondary	05/09/2025
  102	Frinton-on-Sea	Essex	Primary	05/09/2025
  103	Shottenden	Kent	Secondary	06/09/2025
  104	Stelling Minnis	Kent	Primary	07/09/2025
  105	Whitstable 2	Kent	Secondary	07/09/2025
  106	Ivy Hatch, nest 2	Kent	Primary	07/09/2025
  107	Whitstable 2	Kent	Primary	07/09/2025
  108	Graveney	Kent	Secondary	08/09/2025
  109	Hartley	Kent	Secondary	09/09/2025
  110	Devils Den, Sutton Valance	Kent	Secondary	10/09/2025
  111	Kennington, Ashford	Kent	Secondary	10/09/2025
  112	Ashford Cemetery	Kent	Primary	11/09/2025
  113	Wallcrouch	East Sussex	Secondary	11/09/2025
  114	Plaxtol	Kent	Secondary	12/09/2025	Link to image
  115	Tenterden	Kent	Rebuilt	13/09/2025
  116	Cobham	Kent	Secondary	14/09/2025	Link to image
  117	Godstone	Surrey	Secondary	16/09/2025	Link to image
  118	Frinton-on-Sea	Essex	Secondary	17/09/2025
  119	Holmbury St Mary, Dorking	Surrey	Nest rebuild	17/09/2025
  120	Eastling	Kent	Secondary	19/09/2025
  121	Canterbury	Kent	Secondary	20/09/2025
  122	Stalisfield Green	Kent	Secondary	20/09/2025
  123	Tonbridge	Kent	Secondary	23/09/2025
  124	Elham	Kent	Secondary	22/09/2025
  125	Waltham	Kent	Secondary	23/09/2025
  126	Rolvenden	Kent	Secondary	23/09/2025
  127	Snave	Kent	Primary	22/09/2025
  128	Tresco	Isles of Scilly	Secondary	24/09/2025
  129	Southampton	Hampshire	Secondary	25/09/2025
  130	Maidstone	Kent	Secondary	25/09/2025

   

  As of 28/08/2025: 

  A change in approach to YLH sighting updates on BeeBase and Gov.uk: Since the beginning of May 2025, there have been a high number of credible sightings of yellow-legged hornets in the UK. Due to the extensive work in the field and the corresponding laboratory analysis it is not possible to provide a meaningful figure for the number of confirmed sightings as the information quickly becomes out of date as nests are found. The focus of the contingency action is on finding and destroying nests. Not all of the credible sightings will be linked to nests so until contingency action has finished, updates will only be provided on the nests found and destroyed.

  Yellow-legged hornet sighting location information in the UK during 2025:

  	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 imageLink to image 2	SJ22	23/01/2025	24/01/2025	Oswestry	Shropshire	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Imported shallots
  2	Link to image	TR15	17/03/2025	20/03/2025	Canterbury	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found dead
  3	Link to image	SU31	08/04/2025	10/04/2025	Marchwood	Hampshire	Member of the public	Single hornet	In rotary washing line
  4		TR35	12/04/2025	15/04/2025	Deal	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Flew into a conservatory
  5	Link to image	TQ93	14/04/2025	15/04/2025	Appledore	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into a greenhouse
  6	Link to image	TR36	14/04/2025	17/04/2025	Ramsgate	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Flew into a conservatory
  7	Link to image	TQ75	16/04/2025	23/04/2025	Langley	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet and embryo nest	Nest on window frame	16/04/2025
  8		SU40	17/04/2025	NS	Hythe	Hampshire		Single hornet and embryo nest	Nest in playhouse	17/04/2025
  9	Link to image	TR23	19/04/2025	23/04/2025	Folkestone	Kent	YLAHT	Single hornet	Flew into a conservatory
  10	Link to image	SU31	23/04/2025	25/04/2025	Marchwood	Hampshire	Inspector	Single hornet	NBU spring monitoring
  11		TR35	28/04/2025	01/05/2025	Sandwich	Kent	YLAHT	Single hornet	Foraging in garden
  12		TQ82	29/04/2025	02/05/2025	Broad Oak	Kent	Inspector	Single hornet	NBU spring monitoring
  13	Link to image	TR25	30/04/2025	02/05/2025	Nonington	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Flew into house
  14		TQ76	09/05/2025	16/05/2025	Chatham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into conservatory	27/05/2025
  15		TR25	10/05/2025	16/05/2025	Barham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into house
  16		TR04	10/05/2025	NS	Crundale	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into house
  17		TQ81	12/05/2025	21/05/2025	Cliff End	East Sussex	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into house
  18		SU31	13/05/2025	NS	Southampton	Hampshire	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into house
  19		TR24	13/05/2025	16/05/2025	Shepherdswell	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into conservatory
  20	Link to image	TR15	20/05/2025	22/05/2025	Canterbury	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Collecting pond water
  21		TR13	25/05/2025	NS	Seabrook Folkestone	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew into house	Primary 08/08/2025
  22	Link to image	TR35	26/05/2025	03/06/2025	Sandwich	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found dead
  23	Link to image	TR15	26/05/2025	29/05/2025	Canterbury	Kent	Beekeeper	Nest	Nest in hive	27/05/2025
  24	Link to image	NZ32	28/05/2025	NS	Mordon	County Durham	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flew from a polytunnel
  25		TR35	31/05/2025	06/06/2025	Deal 2	Kent	Member of the public	Single Hornet	Killed in a conservatory
  26		TQ82	31/05/2025	03/06/2025	Cherrytree Shaw	East Sussex	Inspector	Single Hornet	NBU spring monitoring
  27		TR24	01/06/2025	03/06/2025	Ewell Minis	Kent	Inspector	Single Hornet	NBU spring monitoring
  28		TR02	01/06/2025	03/06/2025	New Romney	Kent	Beekeeper	Single Hornet	Hawking in Apiary
  29		TR24	03/06/2025	06/06/2025	Snowdown	Kent	Inspector	Single Hornet	NBU spring monitoring
  30	Link to image	TQ20	05/06/2025	17/06/2025	Shoreham-by-Sea	West Sussex	Member of the public	Single hornet and nest	Nest in garage	12/06/2025
  31		TR04	09/06/2025	17/06/2025	Wye, Ashford	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet and nest	Nest in ivy	10/06/2025 Secondary TBC
  32		TR24	08/06/2025	13/06/2025	Selstead, Dover	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Hornets in an apiary	Secondary 09/07/2025 rebuild 08/08/2025
  33	Link to image	TR04	08/06/2025	17/06/2025	Ashford	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet and nest	Nest in birdbox	Primary 10/06/2025 Secondary 21/08/2025
  34	Link to image	TR13	08/06/2025	17/06/2025	Hythe	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Nest in ground	Secondary 12/06/2025  Primary 23/07/2025 Primary 04/07/2024  Secondary TBC
  35	Link to image  Link to image	TR04	11/06/2025	17/06/2025	Kennington	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet and nest	Nest in shed	12/06/2025
  36		TR05	14/06/2025	23/06/2025	Chilham	Kent	YLAHT	Single hornet	YLAHT monitoring	04/07/2025 Secondary 19/08/2025
  37	Link to image	TR23	16/06/2025	24/06/2025	Hawkinge	Kent	Member of the public	Nest	Nestin bird box	19/06/2025
  38		TR23	17/06/2025	17/06/2025	Sandgate	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found in attic	2 secondary nests on 29/07/2025
  39		TR14	17/06/2025	23/06/2025	Stelling Minnis	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found in sink	16/07/2025 rebuild 08/08/2025
  40	Link to image	TR23	19/06/2025	04/07/2024	Coolinge, Folkestone	Kent	Member of the public	Nest	Nest in water-tank water feature	23/06/2025
  41		TQ71	21/06/2025	26/06/2025	Hastings	East Sussex	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Hawking in apiary	05/08/2025
  42	Link to image Link to image	TR35	23/06/2025	08/07/2025	Walmer	Kent	Pest controller	Nest	Multiple reports	23/06/2025 Secondary TBC
  43		SU10	27/06/2025	03/07/2025	Verwood	Dorset	Member of the public	Nest	In garden	01/07/2025 Secondary 25/07/2025
  44		TR34	03/07/2025	TBC	Dover, Central	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Flew into shed	Primary nest in ground and Secondary 15/07/2025
  45		TQ42	04/07/2025	11/07/2025	Chelwood Gate	East Sussex	Member of the public	Single hornet	Dead hornet	09/07/2025
  46		TR24	04/07/2025	11/07/2025	River, Dover	Kent	YLAHT	Single hornet, multiple sightings	Apiary monitoring	17/07/2025 Secondary 12/08/2025
  47		TQ54	07/07/2025	11/07/2025	Royal Tunbridge Wells	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found in garden	Secondary 31/07/2025
  48		TQ83	07/07/2025	11/07/2025	Sissinghurst	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found inside house	23/07/2025
  49		TR25	10/07/2025	21/07/2025	Staple	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found inside house	17/07/2025
  50	Link to image	TQ49	14/07/2025	17/07/2025	Ilford	Greater London	Member of the public	Single hornet	In Garden	Secondary 18/07/2025 Secondary 20/08/2025
  51		TQ81	14/07/2025	TBC	Broad Oak	Kent	Beekeeper	Single Hornet	Trap in Apiary	29/07/2025
  52		TR16	15/07/2025	21/07/2025	Whitstable	Kent	YLAHT	Single Hornet	Trap at Home	Primary and Secondary 07/08/2025
  53		TR14	16/07/2025	TBC	Hempsted	Kent	Beekeeper	Single Hornet	Home	Secondary 30/07/2025
  54	Link to image	TQ76	16/07/2025	21/07/2025	Rochester	Kent	Beekeeper	Single Hornet	Flew into House	25/07/2025
  55		TQ81	16/07/2025	21/07/2025	Doleham	East Sussex	Member of the Public	Single Hornet	Trap in Apiary
  56	Link to image	TQ81	16/07/2025	TBC	Udimore	East Sussex	YLAHT & member of the public	Nest	In Outbuilding	22/07/2025 Primary and secondary TBC
  57		TQ71	16/07/2025	21/07/2025	Sedlescombe	East Sussex	Member of the Public	Single Hornet		31/07/2025
  58		TQ77	17/07/2025	22/07/2025	Higham	Kent	Beekeeper	Single Hornet	Apiary monitoring	29/07/2025
  59		TR35	19/07/2025	28/07/2025	Betteshanger	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Hawking in apiary	06/08/2025
  60		TQ85	19/07/2025	29/07/2025	Harrietsham	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Found in wasp trap	24/07/2025 Secondary 09/08/2025
  61		TQ33	21/07/2025	23/07/2025	Wakehurst	West Sussex	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Found on tree	Secondary 05/08/2025
  62		TR34	21/07/2025	31/07/2025	Langdon Cliffs, Dover	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Visitor's centre	Primary and Secondary 31/07/2025
  63		TR24	22/07/2025	04/08/2025	Church Hougham	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Apiary monitoring	29/07/2025
  64		TQ55	24/07/2025	28/07/2025	Shipbourne	Kent	Member of the Public	Single Hornet	Found in wasp trap
  65		TQ84	25/07/2025	NS	Headborn, Maidstone	Kent	Member of the Public	Single Hornet	Foraging on Carrion	Secondary 03/08/2025
  66		TR36	26/07/2025	04/08/2025	Broadstairs	Kent	Beekeeper	Single Hornet	In garden	30/07/2025
  67		TQ73	29/07/2025	08/08/2025	Cranbrook	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	In garden	TBC
  68		TR15	26/07/2025	NS	Canterbury	Kent	Member of the public. Multiple sightings	Single hornet	In garden
  69		TQ73	30/07/2025	NS	Stone Crouch, Wadhurst	Kent / East Sussex	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Found in disused hive	Primary 31/07/2025 Secondary 14/08/2025
  70		TR34	31/07/2025	NS	Dover Port	Kent	Official Border control	Single hornet	Found at ferry terminal
  71		TQ76	31/07/2025	TBC	Hempstead, Gillingham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	In garden	Primary 12/08/2025
  72		TR04	01/08/2025	12/08/2025	South Ashford	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Wasp trap in apiary
  73		TQ67	01/08/2025	12/08/2025	North Elham	Kent	YLAHT	Multiple hornets	Found in wasp trap
  74		TQ83	02/08/2025	TBC	Tenterden		YLAHT	Multiple hornets	Multiple sightings	14/08/2025
  75		TQ82	02/08/2025	TBC	Four oaks	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Apiary monitoring, multiple sightings
  76		TR25	02/08/2025	TBC	Adisham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Hornet foraging
  77		TQ93	03/08/2025	12/08/2025	Woodchurch	Kent	Member of the public & YLAHT	Multiple hornets	Foraging on figs	TBC
  78		TR02	03/08/2025	12/08/2025	Snave	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Found in trap in apple tree
  79		TR13	04/08/2025	TBC	West Hythe	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets, multiple sightings	Hawking in apiary	Primary 04/07/2025 Secondary 06/08/2025 Secondary 19/08/2025
  80		TR26	05/08/2025	TBC	Stodmarsh	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Apiary monitoring	Primary 12/08/2025
  81		TQ65	08/08/2025	TBC	Larkfield	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Seen on path
  82		TR06	09/08/2025	TBC	Graveney	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Apiary monitoring.
  83		TR35	09/08/2025	TBC	Northbourne	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Apiary monitoring.
  84		TR35	10/08/2025	NS	Deal Marina	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Foraging on flowers
  85		TR16	10/08/2025	TBC	Herne Bay	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet
  86		TR06	10/08/2025	TBC	Ospringe, nr Faversham	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Found near apiary
  87		TQ95	10/08/2025	TBC	Broomhill Wood, Faversham Road	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Collecting water
  88		TR04	11/08/2025	TBC	Kennington 2	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flying in garden
  89		TR01	12/08/2025	TBC	Dungeness	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Killed on shore
  90		TQ75	12/08/2025	TBC	Weavering	Kent	Beekeeper	Nest	Nest in birdbox	13/08/2025
  91		TR25	12/08/2025	TBC	Wingham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Caught in garden	TBC
  92		TR23	13/08/2025	TBC	Capel le Ferne	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet
  93		TQ54	13/08/2025	TBC	North Royal Tunbridge Wells	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets		21/08/2025
  94		TR05	14/08/2025	TBC	Shottenden	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Foraging on flowers
  95		TQ55	14/08/2025	TBC	Ivy Hatch	Kent	Member of the public			26/08/2025
  96		TR15	14/08/2025	TBC	Thanington	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Hawking in apiary	Secondary 26/08/2025
  97		TQ14	14/08/2025	TBC	Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey	Surrey	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Foraging on flowers	Secondary 26/08/2025
  98		TR14	13/08/2025	TBC	Exted	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Hawking in apiary	Primary 15/08/2025
  99		TQ92	15/008/2025	TBC	Brookland	Kent	YLAHT	Single hornet	YLAHT monitoring
  100		TQ20	16/08/2025	TBC	Portslate, Brighton and Hove	East Sussex	Member of the public	Single hornet	Foraging on flowers
  101		SJ58	16/08/2025	18/08/2025	Runcorn	Cheshire	Member of the public	Single hornet	Foraging on figs	TBC
  102		TR34	16/08/2025	TBC	Ripple	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Foraging on flowers	Secondary 28/08/2025
  103		TR23	16/08/2025	TBC	The Warren	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Apiary monitoring.
  104		TQ35	17/08/2025	TBC	Tyler's Green	Surrey	Member of the public	Single hornet
  105		TQ84	17/08/2025	TBC	Oakwood Manor	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Foraging on figs
  106		TQ92	16/08/2025	TBC	Wittersham	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Foraging on flowers	Secondary 27/08/2025 & Secondary TBC
  107		TR24	19/08/2025	TBC	Ewell Minnis	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet	Beekeeping association monitoring
  108		TR25	19/08/2025	TBC	Aylesham	Kent	Member of the public	Single insect	Dead insect
  109		TR34	20/08/2025	TBC	Ringwould	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Foraging on Willow
  110		TQ83	20/08/2025	TBC	Beacon Hill	Kent	Member of the public	Single insect	On path
  111		TQ95	21/08/2025	TBC	Eastling	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Caught in wasp trap
  112			07/08/2025	NS	Cherbourg Port	English Channel	Member of the public	Single insect	On Ferry
  113		TQ54	22/08/2025	TBC	Denny Bottom	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Found in hedge
  114		TQ65	21/08/2025	TBC	Plaxtol	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Hawking in apiary	27/08/2025
  115		TQ95		TBC	Lenham	Kent	Beekeeper	Single hornet
  116		TQ66	22/08/2025	TBC	Cobham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Caught in wasp trap
  117		TL06	24/08/2025	TBC	Dover Castle	Kent	Beekeeper	Multiple hornets	Fling near trap	TBC
  118		TR34	24/08/2025	TBC	Martin Mill	Kent	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Found inside house
  119		TR24	24/08/2025	TBC	Barham	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	In garden
  120		TQ14	24/08/2025	TBC	Forest Green	Surrey	Member of the public	Multiple hornets	Countryside
  121		TQ53	25/08/2025	TBC	Crowborough	East Sussex	Member of the public	Single hornet	Found in hedge
  122		TR04	25/08/2025	TBC	Church end, Challock	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flying near trees
  123		TR05	22/08/2025	TBC	Molash	Kent	Member of the public	Single hornet	Flying near trees
  124		TQ14	26/08/2025	TBC	Holmbury st Mary	Surrey	YLAHT	Multiple hornets
  125	Link to image	SE76	26/08/2025	27/08/2025	Langton	North Yorkshire	Member of the public	Single hornet	Foraging on snowberry	TBC

   

  Please note: 

  • Sighting photos are 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.
  • 'NS': No Sample.
  • 'TBC': To Be Confirmed.
  • YLAHT: Yellow-Legged Asian Hornet Team
  • >two sightings in close proximity recorded as ‘multiple sightings'

  Summary of results from spring trapping for Yellow-Legged hornets in GB in 2025

  A total of 22 individual Yellow-Legged Hornets (YLHs) were confirmed between January and early June 2025. Some of these hornets were captured during spring trapping led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU) which was carried out for 8 weeks from early April 2025 to early June 2025. All these hornets were sent for further analysis.

  There were 20 spring queens, one damaged individual that was likely a queen and one lone worker.

  Four of the spring queens were identified as likely offspring from 2 of the nests destroyed in 2024. These were the nest destroyed in Coldred on 25th October and the nest destroyed in Udimore on 1st November. These 2 nests were themselves likely offspring of nests destroyed in 2023. This is the first evidence of a second generation of YLHs being produced in GB. None of the other 16 queens were likely related to known nests from the previous year.

  Figures are included below to illustrate. 

  Map of yellow-legged hornets linked to the Udimore nest

  

  Map of Yellow-legged hornets linked to the Coldred nest

   

  It is important to note that the numbers of second-generation hornets are very low and there have been good levels of monitoring by beekeepers and the NBU. The NBU deployed 350 traps and a total of 5,500 trap checks were made. This is not considered to be strong evidence of an established population and the NBU are continuing to take contingency action against YLH. The evidence gathered from action taken during 2025 will be reviewed overwinter.

• Resources and Priorities

  Statement from DEFRA Bee Health Policy

  Defra is very grateful to all the staff in the Animal and Plant Health Agency and in particular the National Bee Unit (NBU) who are working on the response to YLH. Beekeepers and Yellow-legged Asian Hornet Teams have also provided very valuable support. 

  Defra continue to follow an eradication strategy by taking contingency action. Given the high number of nests, Defra have agreed that for the last 2 months of the 2025 season, NBU surveillance effort should focus on the response to YLH. Deploying inspectors who have skills in recognising and tracking YLHs will allow nests to be rapidly found and destroyed. With respect to the bee health programme, the NBU will respond to reports of suspect disease, deal with confirmed cases of disease, conduct import controls and checks and carry out surveillance for exotic pests. We are asking beekeepers to continue monitoring their colonies for pests and diseases. Further guidance can be found on the NBU Advisory leaflets page. Any beekeepers who think they have identified a suspect statutory pest or disease should contact the NBU, and, where possible, include photos of the suspect brood or pest.

  If you are unable to get hold of your local inspector, please email nbu@apha.gov.uk

• New apiculture programme published

  The England Apiculture Programme for 2025-2028 has been published on BeeBase. The programme provides measures to support beekeepers and bee farmers by training events on bee health and husbandry practices as well as improving identification of pests and diseases through hive-side advisory inspections. The programme is delivered by APHA’s National Bee Unit. It is jointly funded by Defra and HMT following EU Exit. The programme starts on 1 August and lasts for 3 years.

• 'Starting Right with Bees' advisory leaflet updated

  Our advisory leaflet ‘Starting Right with Bees’ has been updated. This leaflet describes the basics of beekeeping for new beekeepers or for those who are considering taking up the craft. It provides a clear, jargon-free introduction into the basic biology and management of honey bee colonies and provides plenty of links of content that beekeepers will find useful as they begin their beekeeping journey. If you are interested in taking up beekeeping, or have just started, and want to know more about the costs involved and how to source and set up your first hive of honey bees, look no further than ‘Starting Right with Bees’.