Ireland confirms Asian hornet sighting, triggers 'biosecurity alert'

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) – The Irish government confirmed the sighting of the Asian hornet and issued an "alert" because the species poses a "significant threat to the country's biodiversity," according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

The Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has confirmed a recent sighting and subsequent capture of an Asian hornet, also known as the yellow-legged hornet, in the Cork area, triggering a "biosecurity alert" in Ireland.

The Asian hornet, which is native to Southeast Asia, is described as an invasive species that has rapidly spread throughout Europe, first being detected in the UK in 2016.

The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage has formed a new task force to coordinate a response to a confirmed individual sighting reported by a member of the public. The public is encouraged to report suspected sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

The new task force, the Asian Hornet Management Group (AHMG), chaired by the NPWS, includes the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the National Biodiversity Data Centre, and the National Museum of Ireland. It will coordinate efforts, gather additional information, and monitor the situation in the coming weeks.

"The Asian hornet poses a significant threat to biodiversity in Ireland, as even a single nest can devastate honeybee populations," warned the statement, adding that the discovery of an Asian hornet poses no significant public health risk.

Christopher O'Sullivan, minister of state for nature, heritage, and biodiversity, said that they take this single case "very seriously," as those species pose a threat to native pollinators and biodiversity.

"I urge everyone to be vigilant and inform themselves so that they can recognize and report any sightings of the Asian Hornet to help us contain this invasive species and protect our biodiversity," said the minister.