Tinsel tracker technique leads to Asian hornet nest identification near Saints Bay
- The Asian Hornet team has successfully destroyed more nests this summer.
- A ‘tinsel tracking’ method was used to locate one of them near Saints Bay.
- The technique involves attaching a visible strip to a worker hornet for tracking purposes.
- The nest was situated in dense blackthorn scrub and measured the size of a football.
- Another nest has been removed from the grounds of Elizabeth College
The Asian Hornet team recently reported the successful destruction of its second Asian hornet nest of the summer, located near Saints Bay.
The identification of the nest was facilitated through a novel tracking method known as ‘tinsel tracking’.
This technique entails attaching a long, visible strip to a worker hornet, thereby enhancing its visibility and enabling the team to trace it back to its nest.
This method, developed by Jersey hornet researcher Chris Isaacs, allows the Asian Hornet team from the States of Guernsey to follow the hornet's path with greater accuracy.
By temporarily disabling the insect to apply the strip, the team can effectively track it back to the vicinity of its nest, making it easier to pinpoint its exact location.
The presence of Asian hornets in the area was initially reported by a member of the public, prompting the deployment of bait stations to verify the sighting.
Subsequent assistance from Museum Services enabled the team to gain access to the top level of the Saints Bay loophole tower, crucial for the nest's identification. Ultimately, after navigating through nearly 120 metres of dense blackthorn scrub, the nest was located.
The Asian hornet nest, approximately the size of a football, represents the second such discovery within the Saints Bay valley in the last two years. Following its identification, the nest was neutralised and retrieved for freezing and destruction.
Francis Russell, Project Coordinator for the Asian Hornet Strategy, said: “The ‘tinsel tracking’ technique proved to be a gamechanger in this latest Asian hornet encounter.
"The nests we’ve discovered this summer appear to be more developed than those found in previous years, as the fine weather seems to have allowed for uninterrupted nest building and foraging.
"These more innovative methods of tracking will therefore be instrumental in helping identify and remove nests more quickly.”
Nik Carre, Land Management & Asian Hornet Officer for Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services, said: “Having only recently come into this role, tracking and identifying this latest Asian hornet nest has been a hugely rewarding and exciting experience.
"As a former tree surgeon, I was able to deploy my skills and experience to help locate what proved to be a difficult to reach nest.
"Our team is grateful to both the public for bringing it to our attention and to Museum Services for providing us access to the loophole tower to help us find it.”
On Thursday 28th August a large secondary Asian hornet nest was treated and removed from a Turkey oak tree inside the grounds of Elizabeth College.
The basketball sized nest was 16m (40ft) high in the crown of the tree.
Due to the location the road was shut for an hour while the nest was being destroyed and removed. Access to treat the nest required the services of Treevolution who provided a cherry picker and tree surgeon
The next was found after reports and seeing photographs of hornets hovering over pints of beer at the Swan Inn and at The Terraces restaurant.
The Asian hornet team have also recently discovered a second nest in town near La Gibauderie which will be removed as soon as possible. They are also actively tracking nests in St Andrews around Bailiffs Cross, in Castel, off Rouette de la Tour and in the Vale off Rue de Marais.
The aim of the Asian Hornet Strategy is to keep the populations of Asian hornet as low as possible, to protect public health and the island’s biodiversity.
Suspected sightings should be reported to asianhornet@gov.gg or telephone 01481 220110 or 07839 197082.
Comments ()