Waiting for the killer hornets

A male Asian hornet spotted in Belgium. Photo by Gilles San Martin via Wikimedia Commons

Plus: a Writing On The Wall update

Dear readers — We’ve all been there. One day you’re relaxing at home, where you’ve lived for generations. Perhaps you’ve just enjoyed a well-earned honey-based snack. The larvae are happily running about. The Queen’s in her palace and all’s right with the world.

When suddenly, without warning, a foreign invader comes along and decapitates you with her mandibles.

No, no, The Post hasn’t suddenly taken to publishing far-right propaganda. This is the reality for Britain’s native honey bee population, who face incursions from Asian hornets. The invasive species — designated “killer hornets” by the media — have recently been spotted as far north as Crosby.

But are these stinging bastards really the “murder hornets” of internet legend? How dangerous are they to pollinators? And can anything be done to stop them? We sent Laurence to find out.

But first, a much anticipated update on yesterday’s investigation into Liverpool literature festival, Writing On The Wall.

We've made today's story completely free to read — on one condition. You just have to sign up to our mailing list. No cost, and in return you get not only an update on yesterday's investigation and Laurence's very funny attempts to track killer hornets in Merseyside, but also our Monday news briefings and award-winning weekend features.

Click the button below to read today's edition for free.

Subscribe now for free

An update on yesterday’s story about Writing On The Wall

*names have been changed

Shortly after 9.30pm Wednesday, the four employees fighting allegations of gross misconduct at Writing On The Wall (WOW) received an email. Despite attempts to halt publication, the email said, an article was going to be published by The Post on Thursday, making “incorrect, misleading and extremely defamatory” allegations about WOW.

Signed by co-directors Mike Morris and Madeline Heneghan, the email also made an apparent threat towards the women. If they were found to have provided any information to The Post for the article, WOW would be “pursuing [them] personally in respect to any losses [WOW] suffer”.