hornets

Hornet’s scare me to death. This article gives me considerable concern in terms of my phobia in addition to the threat they pose to bees. It tells us: 

“An emergency battle-plan has been drawn up to protect Britain’s bees from marauding killer hornets that are poised to cross the Channel. Government experts have developed measures to defend Britain against the aggressive Asian hornet, which has caused havoc in France. Experts say it is “highly likely” to spread across England and Wales in the near future.

Vespa velutina nigrithorax, which grows to 3cm, can destroy a bee colony in two hours. Officials have warned that the devastation could cost £440m per year.

 But the Asian Hornet Response Plan concludes that the UK has little hope of stopping the creatures entering the country – either by crossing the Channel or in imported goods such as soil, wood products and fruit. The document being sent to beekeepers, landowners and local officials warns that hornet colonies should be poisoned, smoked out – or even shot down.”

I came home with a take-away the other night to find a hornet perched on the light shade – in the process of chasing it timorously round the room with a tea towel and eventually triumphing over it – I left a large Naan bread unguarded and returned to site of our black lab just swallowing the last of it. So not only do I find hornets scary and worry about the impact they will have on the humble bee I also see them as a real threat to my personal nourishment. Lets hope this non indigenous breed of the pesky insect stays in France!