Guernsey's authorities are urging islanders to "track, not trample" Asian hornets, encouraging residents to report sightings rather than kill the insects themselves, in a bid to safeguard public health and the island's biodiversity. The invasive, non-native species first arrived in Guernsey in 2017 after spreading across Europe from southern France, where it is believed to have arrived in 2004 via a consignment of pottery from Asia. Officials say the hornets pose a serious threat to local wildlife, particularly honeybees, which make up around 39% of their diet, so keeping populations low by locating and destroying nests early is a key priority.

Under the States' "Track Don't Trample" strategy, people who spot a hornet are asked to photograph it and note the direction it flies in before submitting the details, helping experts trace hornets back to their nests. So far this year 205 queens have been caught and nine primary nests destroyed across Guernsey and Herm, with officials crediting volunteers as central to the effort. Islanders are warned not to attempt nest removal themselves, since nests can grow rapidly during August and September to house up to 2,000 hornets, and people are advised to check hedges and vegetation carefully for signs of activity before cutting them back.