Fresh Asian Hornet warning after attack from insect swarm left woman DEAD & 4 in hospital – what to do if you spot one

MEMBERS of the public have faced an urgent warning after an Asian Hornet attack left one woman dead and four others hospitalised.

The 77-year-old woman was stung multiple times by the killer insect during the mass attack whilst on a hike in Brittany, France.

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Despite emergency services rushing to attend the woman who had already gone into cardiac arrest, she was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Part of a group following a trail near Pleudihen-sur-Rance, Côtes-d’Armor, four others were taken to hospital after being stung.

A 68-year-old woman remains in intensive care.

Local authorities have closed off the trail in order to destroy the hornet’s nest that the group came across, lying on the ground next to a tree.

The same nest was responsible for another close-call where a resident walking along the trail was stung dozens of times before managing to escape, according to French media reports.

It comes as Hastings Borough Council was forced to put out a statement for local residents to “please keep your eyes open for Asian Hornets”.

Earlier this year a lone Asian Hornet was sighted at Westfield with others spotted in Newhaven the year before.

The British Beekeepers Association has asked anyone who spots one to report any sightings to its Asian Hornet watch app.

To identify Asian Hornets, the public should remember the three point plan that they have released:

• Does it look very black?
• Has it got a wide orange stripe on 4th segment of abdomen?
• Do its legs look as if they have been dipped in yellow paint?

Whilst the RSPB has raised concerns due to its nature reserves in Sussex.

A spokesperson told SussexWorld: “The concern around the Asian hornet is that it is a significant predator of bees.

“In France, it has consumed large numbers of bees, including the well-known European honey bee and many lesser-known solitary and colonial bee species.

“We are concerned about the impacts of Asian hornets on bees, as these pollinating species are an essential component of well-functioning ecosystems.”

Alexandra Lecomte, who works to combat invasive species in area, said: “Passing too close to a nest can cause the hornets to become agitated.

“We consider that a perimeter of three or four metres around a nest can be dangerous, because they are sensitive to vibrations.”

Although human casualties are rare, the deadly attack has sparked fears over the public’s safety – with Asian Hornets now well established in parts of the UK.

Despite the infrequent sightings, in summer this year a major victory was declared in the war against Asian Hornets after a ‘Dad’s Army’ in Britain’s frontline saw the number of queens plummet.

Fears have been growing for many years that the invasive insects have used the Channel Islands as a launching pad to dig trenches in mainland Britain.

The species began to spread through Europe in 2004 after arriving in the south of France inside a freight ship.

They were first spotted in the British Isles on the Channel Island of Jersey in late 2016.

The ongoing battle has long-raged in the Channel Islands ‘frontline’ in a bid to stop them decimating the native bee population.

It is also feared they could have established a fresh route from the continent with several recent sightings confirmed on the coastline around Kent.