A SIGNIFICANT fall in the number of Asian hornet queens spotted so far in 2024 compared to last year has provided a boost to the campaign to combat the invasive species.
Latest figures show that by 30 May a total of 153 queens had been seen, compared to just over 250 by the same date in 2023.
The work of the Jersey Asian Hornet Group, which is now in its eighth season, has been helped by a surge in Islanders coming forward to help with efforts to trap the queens before they had time to make nests.
The group’s 150 volunteers are now assisted by around 350 members of the public, many of whom have installed traps on their properties – there is now a network of more than 500 traps.
Founding member of the group John De Carteret described the fall in queen numbers as “considerable”, with the most likely reason for the change being the lack of persistent north-easterly winds during April and May.
“These are the winds that have typically brought Asian hornets across from Normandy in the last couple of years, but they’ve been less evident in 2024,” he said. “We’ve also had quite a wet winter here, and that may be an additional factor.”
The number of nests found so far this year is 20, Mr De Carteret said – similar to the comparable 2023 figure.
The Asian hornet group is hopeful that the drop in queen numbers will mean lower numbers of nests are built later in the summer.
“Nests can have a big impact – it can take up to 25 hours to remove one,” he said.
Although north-easterly winds have been a feature of recent weather forecasts, Mr De Carteret said these may have less impact at a relatively late stage of the spring season because queens were more established in France and less likely to be blown across to Jersey.
Increased public involvement in the campaign has provided a welcome fillip, with many Islanders checking traps daily and freeing insects such as bumble bees which may have been caught but can be safely released.
“Even though eradication is impossible, it gives us some element of control,” he said.
