WORK to combat the presence of Asian hornets in Jersey has continued this summer, with those involved having to deal with some challenging locations for nests in recent weeks.
Rozel has proved a hotspot for the Jersey Asian Hornet Group, with five recent sightings of nests, including one spotted in a rockface and another at the top of a tree perched on an overgrown cliff face.
Founder member John De Carteret said the nest in the rockface, which was removed at low tide on Tuesday through the use of a four-metre ladder, was just the third in a rockface in the eight years the group had been operating.
Assessment is continuing of the treetop nest, estimated to be at a height of around 15 metres, including clearing an access route to the site and the best method of getting to the nest.
“Nothing is deemed ‘too difficult’, every nest found/reported in Jersey will be dealt with,” he said. “You just cannot afford to consider any nests as ‘too difficult’ if you wish to suppress this ingenious insect.”
Fewer Asian hornet queens were spotted this year, Mr De Carteret said, although there was a larger network of more than 500 traps in place. Thanks to the support of Islanders, a total of 266 queens were found, with the final sighting on 25 June.
Last year a total of 476 queens were sighted, the last on 13 July.
Focus has now switched to identifying and removing nests. A total of 63 nests have been reported so far this year, compared with 93 by the same point in 2023.
Mr De Carteret said: “We rely so much on the public being aware and reporting sightings – we will follow up every report.”
Anyone who believes they have seen a hornet can email pictures to the Asian hornet co-ordinator at asianhornet@gov.je or report the sighting by calling 441633, leaving their name, contact number, the parish where the sighting took place and some brief information on what was seen.
