A serial killer on the loose in English countryside: why not all Asian immigrants to the UK are welcomed
- The Asian hornet, known for its attacks on bee colonies that leave no survivors, has been spotted in Kent, in the UK, and residents have been warned
- Cliff Buddle, who watched an Asian hornet demolish a wasp nest when he lived in Hong Kong, keeps a watchful eye in his English country garden
A visit to a village market is usually a sedate affair, so I was surprised to see a “wanted” poster on the egg stall targeting a serial killer from Asia.
The British public was being warned to be on alert for this feared predator and to report sightings to the authorities immediately. There was even a mugshot.
But the risk to humans is minimal, as the prime victims of this mass murderer are bees. The emergency has been sparked by an unwelcome immigrant: the Asian hornet.
This scary-looking member of the wasp family is at home in Hong Kong and other parts of Southeast Asia. It has also made its presence widely felt in Europe, since arriving in 2004, but is rarely spotted in Britain.
That might be about to change. There have been only 108 sightings of the hornet in Britain since its first appearance in 2016. But more than half of those were last year.
Eight have been identified already this year, earlier than usual, sparking fears of a rapid growth in numbers.
The sting has been described as like being jabbed with a red-hot needle. But it poses no more threat to human life than Britain’s resident wasps and hornets.
The problem is the Asian variety has a voracious appetite for bees. It can devour 50 honey bees a day. Bee colonies risk being wiped out, as the hornets return again and again to continue their feeding frenzy. Graphic footage of these attacks are shown on prime-time television news.
Government warnings have been issued. There is even an app to help you identify the hornet and report sightings. Swift and effective action has been promised.
Two of this year’s hornets have been spotted in Kent, not far from where I live. They arrive either in container ships or, with the help of the wind, fly across the English Channel. I am eyeing anything that buzzes in my garden suspiciously.
Hornets and wasps never troubled me in Hong Kong. They generally leave you alone. British wasps are more annoying, hovering menacingly as soon as food appears.
But I did once witness hornets raiding a wasps’ nest in Discovery Bay. They did not take any prisoners.
Invasive species are a major concern in Britain, from Japanese knotweed to muntjac deer. Globally, they are said to have played a part in 60 per cent of plant and animal extinctions.
The box tree caterpillar, native to East Asia, arrived here in 2007. It has made a terrible mess of the hedge in my front garden.
Immigrants from Asia should be warmly welcomed in Britain – but not if they sting and eat bees for breakfast.
