The Asian hornet Vespa velutina, an invasive species, was found in England for the first time in 2016 with confirmed sightings every year since; nests were found in Portsmouth and Ascot in 2021 and in Essex in 2022, and numerous nests were found in Kent, Dorset, Devon and East Sussex in 2023.
What does it look like? What should you do if you spot one? Find out here.
The Asian Hornet Watch smartphone app (announced in this article on GOV.UK) was launched to help everyone identify the Asian hornet and report sightings. It is available free of charge from the Apple and Android app stores.
Links to Asian-hornet-related articles around the Web (more will be added from time to time)
a blog which is a good summary: https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/a-bit-of-a-hornets-nest/