Horrifying moment killer Asian hornet decapitates and devours a wasp in Kent amid fears of UK-wide invasion

THIS is the horrifying moment a killer Asian hornet decapitates and devours a wasp in Kent.

The terrifying clip comes as experts say they fear the dangerous insects are invading the UK.

In the video the hornet, which is far larger than the wasp, can be seen ripping it to shreds.

It then pulls the insect's head from its body and drops it to the leaf below before continuing to consume what remains of it.

The insects have already been found in Kent, Devon and Jersey this year - with the number of spottings dramatically climbing each month.

The Asian hornet began to spread through Europe in 2004 after arriving in the south of France inside a freight ship.

They can kill people who have an allergy with a ­single sting and can eat 50 bees in a day.

Qualified beekeeper Sue Kittle urged people to be cautious and warned of the danger of the species.

The 55-year-old previously told : "These hornets are very defensive of their hives and can do what is called a mass attack.

"You should not approach their nests."

She added: "This is an invasive species that can attack and eat our honey bees.

"It can change the whole nature of the bee hives here.

"We need to track them down and find out if this sighting is the beginning of a nest."

In 2016 the first UK mainland sighting was confirmed in Gloucestershire, and a second was confirmed in 2017 in Devon.

The insects are the largest of their species in the world, and were once dubbed "murder hornets" from the aggressive attacks they carry out on other hives, wiping them out in hours.

They decapitate other bees, wasps, and hornets and then use the bodies to feed their young.

In April the venomous insect was spotted in Folkestone, Kent - with the last sighting in the county being in 2019.

Then, in June, an urgent warning was issued after an "explosion" of the dangerous insects swarmed Channel Island of Jersey.

The following month the dangerous insects were spotted in Devon.

Asian hornet co-ordinator Alastair Christie said the numbers were ''an unprecedented, astronomical increase''.

He said: '''Despite catching 438, we may find that there are as many, if not more, nests than last year.

"We just don't know at the moment.''

Their stings have killed at least five people in France, and victims can die within minutes of being attacked unless they receive urgent medical treatment.