The first sighting of an invasive hornet which kills honey bees has been confirmed in Britain by Government experts.
An Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) has been found in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire, where work is now under way to find and destroy any nests belonging to the non-native species.
Experts said the Asian species, which at up to 2.5cm (one inch) long is smaller than native European hornets, pose no greater risk to human health than bees.
But they prey on important pollinating insects such as honey bees and could do serious damage to colonies here, which have not evolved to cope with the threat.
Asian hornets arrived in France in 2004 and are now common across large areas of Europe, with experts on standby in the UK in recent years for the insect's arrival here, from imports such as plants or timber ,or even by flying across the Channel.
The species was discovered for the first time in Channel Islands Jersey and Alderney this summer.
It is thought the hornets will not be able to survive in the north of the UK due to the colder winters.
The hornet which has been found has been killed and sent for DNA testing at the National Bee Unit in North Yorkshire to help establish how it arrived in the UK.
Meanwhile a three-mile surveillance zone has been set up around Tetbury, with bee inspectors deployed to use infrared cameras and traps to locate any nests.
If nests are found, disposal experts are on standby to use pesticides to kill the hornets and destroy any nests.
Nicola Spence, the Environment Department's (Defra) deputy director for plant and bee health, said: "We have been anticipating the arrival of the Asian hornet for some years and have a well-established protocol in place to eradicate them and control any potential spread.
"It is important to remember they pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, though we recognise the damage they can cause to honey bee colonies.
"That's why we are taking swift and robust action to identify and destroy any nests."
She said the Government was remaining vigilant across the country, working with the National Bee Unit and their nationwide network of bee inspectors, for any other signs of Asian hornets.
A second Asian hornet was seen by the inspector who dealt with the first insect, which experts said suggested there was a nest of the invasive species.
Matt Shardlow, chief executive of nature charity Buglife, said: "Its arrival is of huge concern, our pollinators are currently in decline from pesticide use, loss of habitat and climatic change. This voracious predator now could push some species beyond the tipping point and into extinction.
"It seems likely to have arrived as a stowaway, the same way they reached continental Europe.
"Again the UK's lax biosecurity rules are highlighted; routes for invasive species must be tightened so that these problems species are kept at bay," he urged.
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