A wildlife expert has shared the painful consequences of getting stung by an Asian murder hornet as Brits are being urged to keep a look out amid a potential surge.
UK beekeepers and the general public have been given strict instructions if they come into contact with the invasive non-native species.
The warning comes after 2023 saw a record number of Asian hornets found in the UK.
What is an Asian hornet?
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The Asian hornet, known as the Vespa velutina, is different-looking to our native hornet.
They can be identified by their very dark body, wide orange stripe on the fourth abdomen section and yellow leg ends.
As you might have guessed, the insects are native to East Asia, South Asia, Mainland Southeast Asia, and parts of the Russian Far East.
According to the Health Office, they pose no greater health risk than our native wasps and hornets, but they do, however, pose a risk to honey bees and insect pollinators.
They are dubbed as 'murder hornets' for the way they kill their prey in groups.
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According to Jun-ichi Takahashi, a researcher at Kyoto Sangyo University in Japan, their toxic venom is that equivalent to a venomous snake.
Asian hornets are capable of consuming 50 honey bees a day.
What happens if you get stung by an Asian hornet?
Coyote Peterson - who is known for letting animals bite him on his show Brave Wilderness - has revealed just how painful it can be to get stung by one.
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As shown in a 2020 video shared by Inside Edition, the 42-year-old lets an Asian hornet bite him in a forest and, within moments, his arm seizes up.
The brief clip shows Peterson let out an intense scream, as the pain, he says, lasted for hours.
"It will put you in momentous amounts of pain for close to six hours," he said.
"My arm kind of ballooned up to twice its normal size, so it was intense.
"Now, a single sting is not likely to kill a human, unless you have an allergic reaction to the venom but 30 or 40 stings could kill you."
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What should you do if you see an Asian hornet?
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency said: "If you suspect you have seen an Asian hornet you should report this using the iPhone and Android app ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ or by using our online report form.
"Alternatively, e-mail [email protected]. Please include a photograph if you can safely obtain one.
"Identification guides and more information are available and if you keep bees you should keep up to date with the latest situation on the gov.uk sightings page and on BeeBase.
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"It is important to take care not to approach or disturb a nest.
"Asian hornets are not generally aggressive towards people but an exception to this is when they perceive a threat to their nest."
What are the experts saying?
"By ensuring we are alerted to possible sightings as early as possible, the public can help us take swift and effective action to stamp out the threat posed by Asian hornets," Defra’s Chief Plant and Bee Health Officer Professor Nicola Spence said.
"While the Asian hornet poses no greater risk to human health than other wasps or hornets, they can damage honey bee colonies and harm other pollinators.
"Please continue to be vigilant for any Asian hornets and if you think you’ve spotted one, report your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online."
The National Bee Unit have also installed traps at locations across Kent, East Sussex, Devon and North Yorkshire.
Anish Vij