UK wildlife is under threat from a growing number of "alien" species set to reach our shores soon.
The bee-killing yellow-legged hornet is among the non-native species set to arrive in the UK, the Europe-wide study warned.
The Asian hornet, which grows to between 2.5cm and 3cm, preys on native honeybees, wasps and other pollinators, potentially devastating hives and threatening honey and crop production.
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) report, the Asian tiger mosquito - linked to more than 20 diseases including yellow fever and the dengue-like chikungunya fever - could also make its way to Britain.
The Spanish slug is now found across Britain. Pic: Ekko The species is prevalent in several southern European countries, such as Italy, and is likely to expand its range north as the climate changes.
Other species already in the UK and causing problems include common ragweed - which came in to Europe from North America in grain mixes intended as bird feed and is a potent trigger for hayfever and other allergies.
The Spanish slug, which reaches up to 15cm in length and is possibly native to the South East, is now found across Britain, and can hit garden planting and horticulture, as they eat plants as well as carrion and even each other.
Well-established invaders include the American mink which has destroyed water vole populations and the grey squirrel, which has driven its native red cousin from most of England.
Zebra mussels are thought to have arrived in the UK in ship ballasts More recent arrivals include killer shrimps, which feed on other aquatic wildlife and can cause local extinctions of naturally-found species, and zebra mussels, thought to have arrived in ship ballasts and which can damage infrastructure such as water plants and locks.
Other species posing problems to the UK include brook trout, American bullfrogs, rhododendrons, Japanese knotweed, harlequin ladybirds and the horse chestnut leaf-miner moth.
Across Europe, invasive alien species cost around £10bn a year, the EEA report said.
Species are most commonly brought in for horticulture, while other reasons include farming, hunting and fishing or as pets.
Growing tourism and trade in recent decades may have led to increasing numbers of alien invaders, while climate change may also be playing a role in the spread of species, by making areas increasingly suitable for new plants and animals.
Jacqueline McGlade, EEA executive director, said: "In many areas, ecosystems are weakened by pollution, climate change and fragmentation.
"Alien species invasions are a growing pressure on the natural world, which are extremely difficult to reverse."
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