Further sightings of the Asian hornet in Ireland have been confirmed after the capture of one of the insects earlier this month.
The survey and monitoring team put in place by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has intensified its efforts as a result, with the Asian Hornet Management Group consulting with UK experts.
The location of sightings and monitoring activities are not being disclosed for operational purposes, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which oversees the NPWS, said.
The insect, native to Southeast Asia, has now spread through continental Europe, where it poses a serious threat to bee populations.
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It kills and feeds on honeybees and wild bees, with control efforts ongoing in the UK to prevent the establishment of colonies there.
The sighting of an Asian hornet earlier in August triggered the creation of a taskforce to co-ordinate the State response.
The sighting marks the third in Ireland after the one in Cork earlier this month and one recorded in Dublin in 2021, which was not associated with a viable wild population, according to the NPWS.
The Asian hornet is not aggressive but it will sting if provoked.
Members of the public have been asked to report the location of the insect if sighted, with a photograph if possible, but not to attempt to capture it.
The Asian hornet can easily be confused with non-invasive species such as the giant woodwasp, the dark giant horsefly and the common wasp.
