Asian Hornet — Vespa velutina

Asian Hornet in the UK — Identification, Reporting & What to Do

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is an invasive non-native species that poses a serious threat to UK honey bees and pollinators. Confirmed sightings in the UK must be reported immediately. This guide will help you identify the species and report correctly.

Close-up of an Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) showing the distinctive dark body and yellow leg tips

How to identify an Asian hornet

The Asian hornet is significantly smaller than the native European hornet but larger than a common wasp. It is much darker in overall colour — almost black. The single most reliable ID feature is the bright yellow leg tips, which neither European hornets nor wasps share.

Feature	Asian hornet (Vespa velutina)
Size	Workers 20-25mm; queens up to 30mm. Smaller than European hornet.
Overall colour	Dark — almost entirely black thorax, dark abdomen with one orange band on the 4th segment.
Legs	Black at the base, BRIGHT YELLOW at the tips. The single most reliable ID feature.
Head	Black with an orange face.
Flight pattern	Distinctively slow and hovering — often described as helicopter-like at the entrance of a honey bee hive.
Nest location	High in mature trees (10-30m). Spring primary nests lower (4-6m) and smaller.
Nest colour	Light brown / tan — distinct from the grey of common wasp nests.

The yellow legs are the give-away. If you are unsure of the species, look at the legs. Asian hornets have unmistakable bright yellow leg tips. European hornets do not. Wasps do not.

Asian hornet vs European hornet — side by side

Feature	Asian hornet	European hornet
Length	20-25mm worker	25-35mm worker
Body colour	Dark / almost black	Yellow and chestnut-brown
Legs	Black with yellow tips	Wholly chestnut-brown
Face	Orange on black	Yellow
Behaviour around bee hives	Hovers at entrance hunting individual bees	Does not predate honey bee colonies
UK status	Invasive non-native — must be reported	Native — protected in some contexts, treatable as a pest

How to report an Asian hornet sighting

Photograph from a safe distance if possible. Clear images speed up confirmation enormously. Phone camera zoomed in is fine.
Report via the Asian Hornet Watch app — free, iOS and Android. Auto-uploads location and photo. The fastest way to report.
Or email alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk with photo, location, and date.
Do NOT attempt to destroy the nest yourself. The National Bee Unit handles confirmed Asian hornet nests as part of the UK eradication programme. Premature attempts to destroy a nest can disperse the colony and make eradication harder.

Why this matters

A single Asian hornet colony can kill an entire honey bee hive over a few weeks. The species has caused major losses in France, Spain and Portugal since its accidental introduction in 2004 and is now spreading through the UK. The UK eradication programme depends on rapid public reporting to find primary nests before they reach reproductive maturity in autumn.

What if it turns out to be a European hornet?

European hornets (Vespa crabro) are native, larger, and have a yellow-and-chestnut colouration. They are not protected in the same way — if a European hornet nest is causing a problem on your property we can treat it at the same fixed price as a wasp nest (from £99). See our hornets guide for full details.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions — Asian hornet

Are Asian hornets dangerous to humans?+

An Asian hornet sting is comparable in pain to a wasp sting — not significantly more dangerous to a non-allergic adult. The real danger is to honey bees and the wider pollinator population, which is why rapid reporting is critical.

What should I do if I think I have seen one?+

Photograph it from a safe distance if possible — clear images make confirmation much faster. Then report immediately via the official Asian Hornet Watch app (free, iOS/Android) or email alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk. Do NOT attempt to kill the hornet or destroy the nest yourself — proper containment requires the National Bee Unit.

What does an Asian hornet nest look like?+

Asian hornet nests are large, often spherical or teardrop-shaped, built high in trees (10-30m up). Primary nests in spring may be lower, around 4-6m, and are smaller (the size of a small football). The colour is light brown — distinguishable from the grey of wasp nests.

Has the Asian hornet been confirmed in Hertfordshire?+

As of 2024-2025, confirmed sightings in the UK have been concentrated along the south coast (Kent, Sussex, Hampshire) and East Anglia. There have been individual sightings further north, but no established Hertfordshire population at the time of writing. Vigilance is still important as the species is spreading north.

Will you treat an Asian hornet nest if I find one?+

We will not treat an Asian hornet nest privately — confirmed Asian hornet nests are dealt with by the National Bee Unit as part of the UK eradication programme. Our role is to help you identify the species correctly and direct you to the right reporting route. If it turns out to be a European hornet, we can treat it.

Think you have seen an Asian hornet? Report via the Asian Hornet Watch app or email alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk. If you want help identifying the species first, call us on 01727 789571.