A VOLUNTEER Asian hornet hunter has got up close and personal with the infamous ‘Trouser Queen’ which made the headlines this week after finding itself at the centre of a 999 call.
The insect gave an elderly Islander such a shock when it emerged from a pair of trousers she had taken out of the wardrobe that she phoned the police – before trapping it under a yoghurt pot. (Story: CLICK HERE)
Volunteer hornet hunter John de Carteret then arrived on the scene and froze the home invader solid with a special insect spray.
It was suspected that the intruder was a queen hornet which had decided to hibernate in the woman’s trousers for the winter before going off to start a new colony in the spring.
Mr de Carteret handed the dead insect to a fellow volunteer hunter who photographed and dissected it – and confirmed it was indeed a queen which had recently emerged from a nest.
Each nest can produce up to about 200 queens which will attempt to hibernate through the colder months, although only about half a dozen survive.
This year, the team has found and destroyed a record 174 nests, the locations of which are shown on a map published this week. (Story: CLICK HERE)
Islanders who spot an Asian hornet are being asked to phone 441633 or email asianhornet@gov.je.
