Hunt underway for an Asian hornet nest in Co Cork

There is now an extensive operation underway in the Ringaskiddy area of County Cork, in order to locate and remove an Asian hornet nest.

The Government confirmed that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) operation is now underway, and has been escalated following the capture of a second Asian hornet where the initial one was photographed last week.

The Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, said: “Since the National Biodiversity Data Centre confirmed the initial sighting of an Asian hornet in Ringaskiddy, NPWS has mounted an intensive surveillance and monitoring operation in the area.

“The discovery yesterday of a second hornet is a significant development and suggests that a nest may be present nearby. Our response has now moved into a critical new phase, with specialist bait stations being deployed to track and trace any further hornet activity and pinpoint the nest location as quickly as possible.

“Conservation Rangers will use the latest transmitter technology to follow the movements of individual hornets back to their nest. This approach has proven highly successful in other countries, including the UK, and gives us the best possible chance of locating the nest before the species can establish itself.

“We know from our successful response to last year's incursion that early detection and rapid intervention are absolutely critical. Using the latest science, technology and expertise, we are moving swiftly and decisively to protect Ireland's biodiversity and our native pollinators from this invasive species.

“I want to thank members of the public whose vigilance helped to bring this issue to our attention. Public awareness remains one of our strongest defences. I would encourage anyone who believes they may have seen an Asian hornet to report it immediately through the website www.invasives.ie."