Swarms of aggressive Asian hornets are reported to be spreading across France from the south after they arrived as stowaways in a cargo of pottery from China in 2004.

With adult queens reaching up to 3 cm in length the Asian hornet Vespa velutina is slightly smaller than the native European Hornet but is much more aggressive when defending its nest than the native European Hornet often chasing anything it regards as an intruder for long distances.

Not only can they be more aggressive to humans they also pose an enormous threat to bees and have been blamed for wiping out a large number of hives across France particularly in the Gironde department.

There have been numerous reports of the hornets attacking and chasing passersby this summer and although their stings are not much more poisonous than other hornets or wasps it is their aggressiveness and the larger number of stings when the hornets swarm that can pose a threat.

This month the hornets have been sighted as far north as Paris and experts fear that they will soon spread across the channel but would be unlikely to survive a traditional wet English summer.

Quote this article on your site