Asian Hornets in Kent: How to Identify and Report One

If you think you have seen an Asian hornet in Kent, take a photograph only if you can do so safely, then report it through the Asian Hornet Watch app, the online recording form, or by email to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk. The Asian hornet, now officially called the yellow-legged hornet, is an invasive non-native species, and the government's stated policy in England is to find and destroy its nests. GEM Services does not sell Asian hornet treatment: this guide is about identification and reporting. Most suspected sightings turn out to be native insects, such as common wasps or the European hornet, and those are a separate matter.

What is an Asian hornet?

The Asian hornet, also known as the yellow-legged hornet, is an invasive hornet native to Asia that has spread through parts of Europe and now into England. The Asian hornet preys on other insects, including honey bees, which is why its spread is taken seriously. The Asian hornet is not the same insect as the much larger Asian giant hornet, which is a different species and is sometimes confused with it. The Asian hornet is also not the European hornet, which is a native British species.

How do you tell an Asian hornet from a European hornet?

The Asian hornet is smaller and darker than the native European hornet. The National Bee Unit gives Asian hornet workers as approximately 25mm long, against approximately 30mm for European hornet workers. The Asian hornet's abdomen is mostly black, with a single yellow band towards the rear, and it has yellow legs and an orange face. The European hornet is yellow and brown, noticeably large, and makes a loud sound when it flies.

How do you tell an Asian hornet from a common wasp?

The Asian hornet is closer in size to a common wasp than to a European hornet, but it is much darker than any native wasp. Common wasps are bright yellow with black bands along the whole abdomen, while the Asian hornet is mostly black with one yellow band. Yellow legs are one of the clearest features of the Asian hornet, and the yellow-legged hornet name comes from them. The National Bee Unit points out that many insects are mistaken for the Asian hornet, and the Asian Hornet Watch app includes photographs of similar species to compare against.

Have Asian hornets been found in Kent?

Asian hornets have been found in Kent, and Kent accounts for a large share of the nests listed so far in 2026. The National Bee Unit keeps a 2026 rolling update of credible sightings and nests found in the UK, with the county and date for each nest. Even so, most suspected sightings reported to the National Bee Unit turn out to be native insects, so a hornet seen in Kent is more likely to be a European hornet than an Asian one.

How do you report an Asian hornet sighting?

An Asian hornet sighting can be reported in any of three ways, and a clear photograph makes any of them far more useful. The three routes are these:

• Use the free Asian Hornet Watch app, available for iPhone and Android.
• Fill in the online recording form.
• Email a photograph and the location to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk.

The National Bee Unit asks for a photograph and the location of the sighting, along with contact details, and says it can only follow up sightings when a clear photograph has been provided. Anyone without a smartphone or a photograph can get help from a local volunteer Asian hornet team, and the National Bee Unit reporting page explains how to find one.

How do you photograph a suspected Asian hornet safely?

A suspected Asian hornet is easiest to photograph while it is feeding, when it moves less. The National Bee Unit suggests a shallow tray or saucer with a little sugary fruit juice, with kitchen towel in the bottom so that insects do not drown, weighed down so it cannot blow over. Photographs need to be clear and in focus so that the markings on the body can be seen. The National Bee Unit asks people not to use traps that kill insects.

What should you do if you find a nest you think belongs to Asian hornets?

A nest that might belong to Asian hornets should not be disturbed or provoked in any circumstances. Keep people and pets away, photograph the nest and any hornets around it from a safe distance if that is possible, and report it with the exact location through the app, the online form or the email address. Asian hornets build a small early nest in spring, which can be in a sheltered spot such as a shed or bird box, and a colony may later build a larger nest elsewhere, sometimes in a tree. Do not try to treat or remove a suspected Asian hornet nest yourself.

What if a suspected Asian hornet turns out to be a wasp or a European hornet?

A suspected Asian hornet that turns out to be a common wasp or a European hornet is a native insect and is not reported to the Asian hornet scheme. A nest of common wasps in a loft, wall or shed near the house can be treated, and the guide to telling whether you have a wasp nest in your loft helps judge whether a nest needs action at all. Where a wasp nest is close to a door, a window or a place where people or pets spend time, GEM Services, a BPCA member, treats wasp nests across Kent and East Sussex. GEM Services also treats European hornet nests, but not Asian hornets, which the government deals with. Details are on the wasp nest removal page, and the next step is to request a quote.