13 September 2023 , 12:25
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Firefighters had to use a 104-foot crane to remove a massive Asian hornet nest discovered on top of a tree in Guernsey last week.
Specialist teams managed to track down the nest using "strategically placed bait stations", following reports of the insects plaguing a nearby town. The Fire and Rescue Service then deployed their largest turntable ladder, which can extend 32m above ground level. The nest, which is the largest ever recorded on the Channel island, was found near a set of bathing pools in La Vallette, resulting in a whole road having to be closed off to vehicles and pedestrians. Francis Russell, Asian Hornet Strategy Coordinator, said: "We're very grateful for the professional support we received from the GFRS and Civil Protection.
"Without their help and expertise, we wouldn't have been able to access this nest to safely remove it. Since August, we have found nine nests and removed five. Plans are underway to deal with the remaining nests where locations have made this particularly challenging. As autumn approaches, the race is on to remove all the Asian hornet nests across the island.
The Fire and Rescue Service then deployed their largest turntable ladder, which can extend 32m above ground level (twitter.com/Govgg)"If nests remain in place and are not dealt with as a matter of urgency, the production of a new generation of queens will be triggered, with a large secondary nest capable of producing as many as 300-500 queens. These would then hibernate on the island over the winter causing further problems for the following year."
Asian hornets first spread through Europe nearly two decades ago in 2004, after they arrived in south France inside a freight ship. They were first spotted in the British Isles in 2016 in Jersey. After years of habiting the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, they have made their way to southern England. As well as Kent, further recent sightings have taken place in Devon.
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Jon Le Page, Chief Fire Officer - Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service, added: "We were more than happy to be able to be able to offer our equipment and personnel to support the Asian hornet team last week. It's the first time we've been called upon to support this line of work and our officers assisted ably.
"Although we are responsible for dealing with fires and providing advice to prevent fires, our remit is much broader than that, including rescuing people after a road traffic collision or helping with cliff rescues, and this latest work further highlights the varied support that our crews offer."
The discovery comes after one of the largest hornets nests ever seen on the British Isles, measuring a whopping 15 inches (40cm), was found in Jersey earlier this year. It was discovered hanging from the ceiling in a derelict home in St Brelades - and was promptly destroyed by experts on August 14.
If Guernsey islanders spot a hornet, they are asked not to kill it, but instead to take a picture and observe the direction it flies in before reporting this information to the Asian hornet team by calling 07839 197082 or emailing [email protected].