Asian hornets spotted in Brussels for first time

Asian hornets have been spotted in Brussels for the first time - as the aggressive insects, which prey on bees, continue to spread around the country.

Sightings have been reported in Uccle and Ixelles, prompting concern among the city's beekeepers. The Brussels M'Abeilles association is urging locals to keep a look out and take photos. Their nests are about the size of a basketball and made of a paper-like material.

The Asian hornet, recognisable by its yellow legs, arrived in Europe by accident, on board a container shipment of pottery from China which docked in Bordeaux in 2004. Since then, the species has spread across France and was first spotted in Flanders and Wallonia in 2016. There are now an estimated 100,000 Asian hornet nests in Europe.

"What's clear is that they will settle and thrive," said Michel de Proft, an Asian hornet specialist at the Walloon agricultural research centre CRA-W. "It's a type of hornet that is well suited to cities, unlike the European hornet which is more rural."

Yannick Garbusinski, who looks after three beehives on the roof of Etterbeek town hall, told RTBF: "The Asian hornet is like Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. There's something very disturbing about it. We're still a little bit curious to see what happens next, but we'd prefer the worst didn't happen."