Asian hornets, mink, coypu and clams: the desperate battle against invasive species in Ireland

From Asian hornets to mink, coypu and shrews that need taming: Ireland’s battle against invasive species laid bare

Native red squirrels outnumbered by grey cousins, while Japanese knotweed and Asian clams are playing havoc with our ecosystems as biodiversity challenges persist

The discovery of two nests of Asian ­hornets dominated headlines across Ireland last month.

However, Ireland’s ­battle against invasive species goes back centuries – and now ­extends from rivers to forests and from the sky to the hillsides.