In line with the findings of these reports, NIEA staff and their wider DAERA, CAFRE and AFBI colleagues will be monitoring for the possibility of emerging queens over the coming months. AFBI publish their Vespa velutina nest dissection report from Dundonald in October 2025. Fera Science Ltd (formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency) have […]

NIEA publish an updated Species Alert for the invasive Quagga Mussel. The first confirmed case of the highly invasive quagga mussel in Northern Ireland has been reported in Lower Lough Erne. This was confirmed on 10 December following DNA analysis at Queen’s University Belfast. The quagga mussel is a small bivalve mollusc similar to the […]

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir addresses the Shared Island Biosecurity and Invasive Species Forum 4th November 2025

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has successfully completed the safe and controlled removal of an Asian Hornet nest in Dundonald today (18 October), close to the location of the first reported sighting on 10 October. The Asian hornet nest found in Dundonald that was successfully removed. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has successfully […]

On 11/12 November 2024, officials from across the BIC’s Member Administrations responsible for dealing with Invasive Species attended the Shared Island Biosecurity and Invasive Species Forum 2024 where Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency launched a consultation on their Invasive Species Theme Plan. Read more in December Newsletter

The National Biodiversity Data Centre hosted the inaugural Shared Island Biosecurity and Invasive Species Forum in Dublin on 12th November 2024. The Forum was attended by invited representatives from a wide range of sectors, including industry, public bodies, and non-governmental organisations. This one-day event featured presentations, workshops, and feedback sessions, and facilitated debate and the […]

      Some interesting articles about marine biosecurity and a trial for zebra mussel eradication Autumn 2024 issue of GBNNSS non-native species newsletter      

A series of community drop-in sessions on the multi-agency work being undertaken to address blue green algae and wider water quality issues are being held around the Lough Neagh shoreline in the coming weeks. The three sessions will provide an opportunity for the community living around the lough to learn more about blue green algae […]

Recent scientific evidence has given DAERA/NIEA reason to believe that plants in trade considered to be Gunnera manicata are a hybrid of the invasive alien species Gunnera tinctoria. This hybrid has been named ‘Gunnera x cryptica’. To ensure that you are not trading in an illegal species, DAERA/NIEA recommends that you seek to confirm the species identity […]

A horizon scanning study involving analysis of pathways of spread of invasive non-native species into Scotland. It considers species having the highest likelihood of arrival and establishment and the magnitude of their potential negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems over the next 10 years. Invasive non-native species (INNS) are one of the major threats to […]