Pioneering use of Artificial Intelligence in the battle against Asian hornet
Updates from Defra during the summer have confirmed 2023 has seen the highest number of sightings of Asian hornets in the UK since records began. Of the 45 confirmed sightings since 2016, 22 have occurred during 2023 alone.
Fortunately, all 29 Asian hornet nests identified to date have been destroyed, which - so far - has prevented the pest from establishing in the UK.
Authorities tasked with tracking Asian hornets and removing nests currently rely on the public and local interest groups to report Asian hornet sightings. Active nests are generally located in the south of the country, close to ports such as Folkestone and Felixstowe, where the pest is believed to travel on cargo and lorries travelling between Europe and the UK. The island of Jersey also intercepts significant numbers of Asian hornets, due to the proximity of the island to mainland Europe, where the pest is established.
Correctly identifying Asian hornets amongst numerous similar-looking native pollinators is a challenge; the unique characteristics of the pest are difficult to see without training or reference documents and members of the public are understandably reluctant to approach a stinging insect.
As the number of Asian hornet sightings increases, accurately tracking and dispatching staff to destroy nests becomes vital to maximise the efficiency of operations and prevent the establishment of the pest. A Plymouth-based beekeeping and conservation company, Pollenize, has developed an automated system that uses Artificial Intelligence to identify and report Asian hornets to authorities. The company is currently working on being able to track the Asian Hornet as well.
Developed with port authorities, environmental agencies and relevant stakeholders in mind, the aim of the system is to automatically identify species at stations across high-risk sites in the UK. Each station will serve as an early-warning system to identify the presence of Asian hornets, prompting action to prevent the spread of the pest.
Each monitoring station contains a mist sprayer which dispenses attractant to lure hornets to the device. A camera positioned above the reservoir of the attractant is linked to a micro-computer with a database of 1,500 Asian hornet images, which is used to accurately identify the Asian hornet. A low-power, long-range wireless network ensures sites can report positive sightings to a central dashboard.
With an emphasis on collaborative efforts to combat the Asian hornet threat, Pollenize aims to establish its network of device locations across the UK, including 21 ports.
Members who wish to know more about the system or want to express an interest in hosting a Hornet AI device can contact Pollenize using the contact details below.
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