Asian hornet: pest-specific contingency plan

This plan sets out the role of the Scottish Government in response to a suspected or confirmed incursion of the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) within Scotland: the actions to be taken as well as governance, roles and responsibilities.


Legislation

5. The Asian hornet is not a notifiable pest of bees, so it is not covered by ‘The Bees Act 1980’, ‘The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007 (as amended)’.

6. The Asian hornet is an invasive non-native species and as such, it may be subject to the powers and controls in ‘The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (sections 14 to 14P)’. It is also considered a ‘species of special concern’ under retained EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species. This Regulation prohibits certain activities relating to species of special concern and places duties on Scottish Ministers to establish a surveillance system and apply eradication measure to remove any that are detected.

7. Legislation pertinent to the identification, surveillance, movement, management and if appropriate, destruction of non-native invasive species are set out in Annex C.

Contact

Email: bees_mailbox@gov.scot

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