I think I've just seen a European hornet...

[MrsWembley]

...up at my allotment. A quick google has identified it, I think - it didn't hang around.

Someone up here has bees. Should I notify anyone? Are they really that nasty?

I'm in the west, near Bristol

Ooh Nonnainglese, I'm in Bristol...

As I understand it, they're coming over the channel, so all southern regions could be affected.

We had a European Hornet nest in the eaves a few years ago. We get loads of them around here (Surrey/Hampshsire) and despite looking and sounding very scary they are very docile and not aggressive. Interestingly they are night fliers too (someone up thread also said this) they swarm around light like moths. This was how we discovered we had the nest as they would fly into the conservatory glass when we turned the light on at night. Sounded like golf balls being thrown at the glass! This bit of knowledge has proved quite useful since though as I can get a European hornet out of a room like magic. Make the room dark and turn a light on in the direction you want them to go and they fly right out.