Battersea Park Children's Zoo supporting action against invasive Asian hornets

Yesterday, 10th September Battersea Park Children's Zoo hosted an emergency meeting of the London Beekeepers Association regarding the increasing threat of Asian Hornets to our native pollinators and honey bees. 

BPCZ Animal Manager Jamie Baker and beekeeper Annie McGeoch from the London Beekeepers Association and the BBKA - The British Beekeepers Association is calling on the public to help fight a major threat to our native pollinators and honey bees - Asian hornets. 

Numbers of this invasive, destructive insect have risen rapidly this summer and more have been detected in the UK this year than in the previous six years combined. The BBKA aims to raise awareness of the Asian hornet as the species could decimate our pollinators including our honeybees.

It is important for everyone to be actively looking for them, and If you spot an Asian hornet, please report it by using the ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app available free on both Android and iphone. Use this handy guide below to ensure you correctly identify this invasive insect, which can look similar to our native European hornet.

For more information on identifying Asian hornets and why it is vital they don’t spread across the country, visit this link to the BBKA website. https://www.bbka.org.uk/listing/category/asian-hornet-vespa-velutina