Asian hornet nest the size of a basketball found in man’s garden in Essex

Right: the hornet nest"/>

The nest was taken to a Authorities lab for testing (Image: Jam Press/DEFRA)

A person was left shocked after authorities discovered an Asian hornet nest the dimensions of a basketball behind his backyard.

David Holborn was alerted to the ‘scary’ discovery at his Essex residence after inspectors from the Animal and Plant Well being Company launched an investigation to find hornets within the space.

The 50cm nest was destroyed and brought to a Authorities lab for testing.

Mr Holborn advised the BBC he had no concept the nest was on his property, regardless of it doubtless having being there because the summer season.

He stated: ‘It was the dimensions of an elongated basketball.

‘It’s fairly scary to assume it’s been in our backyard for in all probability two months, however there’s been no hurt to us.

‘They’ve been conserving themselves to themselves.’

Inspectors additionally needed to depart the nest in a single day, forcing Mr Holborn to close all of his home windows as a precaution.

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is a separate species from the Asian large hornet (Vespa mandarinia) which has been present in North Americ a (Image: Defra)

Scientists now must work out the place the nest initially got here from, and if any Asian hornet queens from it had already left it and flown elsewhere earlier than the nest was noticed.

Asian hornets are smaller than native hornets and pose no better danger to human well being than them, based on Defra.

The RSPB says the animal poses a ‘important menace’ to UK wildlife and provides: ‘The Asian hornet is a non-native species within the UK, because it hails from east Asia and couldn't arrive within the UK naturally. 

‘The priority across the Asian hornet is that it's a important predator of bees. In France, it has consumed massive numbers of bees, together with the well-known European honey bee and plenty of lesser-known solitary and colonial bee species.’

The animals are principally black besides for his or her fourth belly phase which is a yellow band situated in direction of the rear.

It has yellow legs – therefore why it's typically referred to as the yellow legged hornet – whereas its face is orange with two brownish pink compound eyes.

The general public have been advised that the animals should not usually aggressive in direction of people however will be in the event that they understand you as a menace to their nest.

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is a separate species from the Asian large hornet (Vespa mandarinia) which has been present in North America.

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