Members of the public and local beekeepers are being urged to be vigilant following a recent sighting and subsequent capture of an Asian hornet in the Cork area.

The sighting, confirmed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), marks only the second confirmed record of the insect in Ireland.

A Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) spokesperson said the sighting serves as a "timely reminder of the potential for the Asian hornet to reach Northern Ireland." The hornet is a highly effective predator of honeybees and other pollinators, and its large colonies of up to 10,000 individuals can rapidly decimate bee numbers, posing a serious threat to native biodiversity.

The NIEA is working in partnership with the NPWS and the National Biodiversity Data Centre to address the threat as part of the All-Island Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative. To allow for a rapid and proactive response to any confirmed sightings in Northern Ireland, the NIEA has published a Rapid Response Contingency Plan for the Asian hornet.

While there have been no confirmed sightings in Northern Ireland to date, early detection and nest destruction are considered critical to achieving eradication.

The public are advised to report any suspect sightings in Northern Ireland, along with a photograph, to the NIEA via the Asian Hornet Watch app or the CEDaR online recording system. It is advised to never disturb or try to deal with a suspect nest.