Asian Hornets Make Themselves At Home?

Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) are firmly established in France. This wasp-like insect arrived there in 2004. These voracious bee-eaters made frequent forays, over the English Channel (La Manche). The National Bee Unit's genetic studies have now confirmed Asian hornets have overwintered, for the first time, in Southern England. Three queen hornets, trapped at Four Oaks (East Sussex), proved to be offspring from a nest destroyed in nearby Rye. If the Asian hornet established itself in the UK, this could have negative effects on agriculture (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/03/asian-hornets-overwintered-uk-first-time-dna-testing). Asian hornets eat enormous numbers of insect pollinators. They are a particular concern for bee-keepers. A bee hive has been likened to an Asian hornet supermarket. They simply wait at the entrance, dismembering bee-after-bee. Climate change, with warmer winters in Southern England, would help the Asian hornet extend its current European range.