ESSEX residents have been told to remain vigilant after sightings of killer Asian hornets.

The National Bee Unit has confirmed the sighting of Asian Hornets has been seen in Rayleigh, Essex.

They have issued a warning to members of the public and beekeepers.

It is the first confirmed sighting of an Asian hornet in the UK since April, and there have only been 22 sightings since 2016.

The Asian hornet is a non-native Asian or yellow-legged species. 

It is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than our native wasps and hornets.

However, they do pose a serious risk to honey bees.

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Nicola Spence, chief plant and bee health officer at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: “By ensuring we are alerted to possible sightings as early as possible, we can take swift and effective action to stamp out the threat posed by Asian hornets.

“That’s why we are working at speed to locate and investigate any nests in the area following this confirmed sighting.

“While the Asian hornet poses no greater risk to human health than other wasps or hornets, we recognise the damage they can cause to honey bee colonies and other beneficial insects.

“Please continue to look out for any Asian hornets and if you think you’ve spotted one, report your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online.”