In article m, Tim
Challenger d writes
On Mon, 17 May 2004 08:44:05 +0100, Malcolm wrote:

Hornets are protected.

No, I don't think they have any protection under UK law. However, as
several people have said, they are rarely aggressive and should be left
alone.

My information is that they are.

Well, they aren't listed on any schedule of the W&C Act so far as I can
see, so where does your information come from?

They may be in the EU protected species lists, I don't know if they all
apply to the UK though.

No, although some birds are protected throughout Europe, e.g. those
specified in the Birds Directive and lots of other plants and animals,
including invertebrates, in the Habitats Directive, each country has its
own schedules of other species. As far as I can see, the Hornet isn't
scheduled in the Habitats Directive.

They certainly are protected in Germany, Austria
and I'm pretty sure Switzerland. In Germany there is a fine of up to ten
thousand Euros.

Golly.

As well as statutory protection under the law, there are longer lists of
species which are the subject of Biodiversity Action Plans, but the
Hornet doesn't figure on these either.


--
Malcolm