HORNET hunters have warned Islanders about nests blown down in stormy conditions.
John de Carteret, a founding member of Jersey Asian Hornet Group, posted on their social media page that there have been two “dangerous” situations caused by last weekend’s high winds, which Jersey Met forecasters said reached up to 55mph early on Monday morning.
The second had been particularly serious, he explained, and numerous reports were received from people living in the Victoria Crescent area.
Mr de Carteret said: “One householder had hornets coming down his chimney into a spare bedroom, where over a couple of days about 80 very much alive hornets were collected up. Many other properties had hornets flying aimlessly about.”
He said with the help of other members, a nest was found which was not “established” but rather “a new structure under furious construction” by the homeless hornets.
It was swiftly dealt with.
On Friday, Mr de Carteret said group members found the initial downed nest hidden in undergrowth nearby, in an area popular with children and dog walkers.
The JEP reported in June that there had been a significant fall in the number of Asian hornet queens spotted so far this year.
Alastair Christie, the Island’s Asian hornet co-ordinator, confirmed that the number of Asian hornet nests dealt with so far in 2024 stood at more than 140, which is notably down from the same time 2023 when the team was on nest 244.
However, this does not make the angry invasive species any less dangerous.
When gale-force winds were forecast to hit the Island, Mr de Carteret wrote: “Asian hornet nests in trees have been known to become dislodged and fall to earth in the high winds we’re currently experiencing. In such cases the surviving hornets will still aggressively protect it.”
He said that if Islanders come across what looks like one, do not approach but take a photograph from a safe distance and send the details to asianhornet@gov.je or call 441633.
