There have been no confirmed reports of Asian hornets invading the Isle of Man.

The arrival of the large insects in Europe has sparked concerns over local bee populations and a further public health concern for those who maybe allergic to insect stings.

In a written question, Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh asked Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) Minister Clare Barber whether there have been any confirmed sightings of Asian Hornets on the island, what dangers they pose and what measures have been taken to address the issue.

Mrs Barber said: ‘There have been no confirmed reports of Asian hornets on the Isle of Man, to date. We liaise regularly with our partners in the adjacent jurisdictions, via the British Irish Council, under which there is a group of officers with a focus on non-native species, and Asian hornets in particular.

‘This has allowed an exchange of experiences, building our knowledge of the issue and how to tackle it. We are also learning from new approaches, noting that any incursion in our jurisdiction affects the risk to our neighbours.

‘This group has also set up monthly alerts, so that new records of priority species, including Asian hornet, are notified to the rest of the group.’

DEFA has also had an action plan in place since 2018 which has been updated to deal with the impact on vulnerable people and beekeepers.

Mrs Barber said: ‘Information from the Continent has demonstrated the damage that this species causes to bee keepers’ interests and we recognise the problem.

‘Public health risks, were there to be colonies of Asian hornets on the Isle of Man in future, lie around the more vulnerable in the population. In particular this could disproportionately affect those liable to anaphylaxis from wasp stings, and the young, for instance if colonies were to settle around schools.’

Mrs Barber also says campaigns have been held to raise awareness about the insects and how to identify them while training and equipment will help eradicate them if found on the island.

She said: ‘Public awareness is important, as a rapid response to the occurrence of a queen, will be important to achieving eradication.

The Asian hornet was first found in France in 2004 while the first confirmed report in the UK was in Tetbury, Gloucestershire in 2016.

The insects are native to China and southeast Asia but there have been a number of reports in the south east of England and – more worrying – in Preston.

They are a concern because one of their favourite foods are honey bees. They also do sting but are relatively docile compared to some other wasp species and they are actually smaller than the European hornet although significantly larger than our regular wasps.

If anyone encounters what they believe to be an Asian Hornet, they should contact pest control officers immediately on 685894, take a photo or video if it’s safe to do so and provide precise location details.