Invasive Asian hornets are rapidly spreading across Europe, preying on hundreds of native insect species that include some key pollinators. Researchers analyzed the gut contents of more than 1,500 hornet larvae from nests in the U.K., France, Spain and the island of Jersey, finding that 43 of the 50 most commonly eaten species were flower-visiting insects. While honeybees are the hornets’ primary prey, they also target bumblebees, butterflies, moths, flies and other wasps. This poses an additional threat to already-declining insect populations across the continent.

adapted with permission from Earthweek.com