Yes, he did appear to be disappointed with the way things played out in Woolacombe. The NBU representative at the meeting made it clear that his organisation is governed by departmental procedures, the law and health and safety considerations.
He said the reason Martyn was not told where the nest was situated was to protect the privacy of the landowner on whose land the nest was and who had done nothing wrong. If you've ever seen a media scrum and news-feeding frenzy, you will understand why the NBU wished to protect the landowner's privacy.
It was explained that the NBU has certain powers that cannot be transferred to an amateur beekeeper, however conscientious and well meaning that beekeeper may be. It was for this reason that beeks could not accompany RBIs and SBIs then they were searching for nests on private property (I think I've got that right but my notes of the meeting are rather sketchy!).
Martyn's feeling that, despite all his efforts and assistance, he was airbrushed out of the NBU's report of the incursion was very real and could easily have been overcome by a letter from the NBU thanking him for his help. I guess with everything that was going on, nobody thought to send such a letter - pity really.
I'm not so sure that the risk to the UK from Asian Hornets is slim. If three or four AHs are found at about the same time, the NBU would be hard pressed. The move from search and destroy to containment would in all probability mean a transfer of responsibility from the NBU to the local landowners/beekeepers - look at who's dealing with the incursions in Jersey.
Martyn's basic message that beekeepers need to organise themselves for this eventuality is accepted by the Devon BKA, whose chairman is in the process of organizing Asian Hornet Action Teams across the county with a view to offering initially assistance to beekeepers or others who might find themselves in Martyn's position of knowing he'd seen the intruder but could not prove it.
CVB
