Over 1,400 Species Identified in Asian Hornet Guts
A study finds Asian hornets prey on over 1,400 species, posing a threat to insect biodiversity in Europe.
Summary
Researchers found that Asian hornets consume over 1,400 insect species, including bees, butterflies and beetles. Using deep sequencing, they identified major pollinators in hornet larvae, highlighting the species’ broad diet. The findings raise concerns about the ecological impact of these invasive predators as they spread across Europe, threatening insect biodiversity.
Key Takeaways
- Broad diet: Asian hornets consume over 1,400 insect species, including key pollinators.
- Threat to biodiversity: Their expanding range could further harm declining insect populations.
- Seasonal variation: The diet changes by region and season, showing adaptability.
A study of Asian hornets has found about 1,400 different species in their guts.
University of Exeter researchers tested Asian hornet samples from France, Spain, Jersey and the UK throughout the hornet’s active season.
Eaten prey included a wide range of bees, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies, moths and spiders.
Although the European honey bee was the most common species found in the hornets – appearing in all sampled nests and almost all larvae within those nests – their diet is a lot broader.
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Subscribe for FREEAn invasive species, Asian hornets are now found in much of western Europe. Nests are destroyed in the UK mainland each year as authorities try to keep the species out.
“Asian hornets are known to prey on honey bees, but until now the full range of their diet hasn’t been tested,” said lead author Siffreya Pedersen.
“The diet varied strongly over the seasons and between regions, showing that they are highly flexible predators.
“Most insect populations are in decline due to factors such as habitat destruction and chemical pollution. The expanding area inhabited by Asian hornets poses an extra threat.”
The study used a method called deep sequencing to identify prey species in the guts of more than 1,500 Asian hornet larvae, which eat food provided by adult hornets.
Of the top 50 invertebrate prey species identified, 43 are known to visit flowers – and among these were Europe’s three main crop pollinators: the European honey bee, the buff-tailed bumblebee and the red-tailed bumblebee.
“Insects play vital roles in enabling ecosystems to function – including pollination, decomposition and pest control,” Pedersen said.
“Our study provides important additional evidence of the threat posed by Asian hornets as they spread across Europe,” said Dr Peter Kennedy, from Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute.
The researchers identified 1,449 “operational taxonomic units” in the guts of hornet larvae. More than half could be identified as specific species, but the rest could not – so the exact number of species found in the samples is not certain.
Reference: Pedersen S, Kennedy PJ, O’Shea-Wheller TA, et al. Broad ecological threats of an invasive hornet revealed through a deep sequencing approach. Sci Total Environ. 2025:178978. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178978
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