Asian hornets have been discovered in Somerset for the first time, with a nest found and destroyed near Ashcott after a beekeeper tagged and tracked one of the insects. The invasive species, native to China, poses a serious threat to native wildlife because it preys heavily on bees and other pollinators, and experts warn that warming temperatures linked to climate change are helping it spread rapidly across England.

The Somerset find was the 53rd Asian hornet nest recorded in England this year, following 163 nests discovered in 2025, and beekeepers fear numbers will keep rising as each nest can produce around 300 new queens. A single hornet can kill up to 50 honey bees a day, while a queen can consume roughly 90,000 insects in a season, and the species has caused fatalities elsewhere in Europe since first arriving in France about 20 years ago. Officials from Somerset's Asian Hornet Action Team and local beekeeping associations are urging the public to stay vigilant and report sightings via the Asian Hornet Watch app.