A Turkish bee carried into Britain in holidaymakers’ luggage is to be killed, government officials have decided.

The foreign insect - believed to be of the Osmia avosetta species - has been busily constructing cocoons out of flower petals in the conservatory of the Toy family since their return from Dalaman last week.

They say the bee waits patiently by the back door of their Bristol home every morning and gets on with creating intricate nests as soon as it is allowed inside.

However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), on Monday confirmed it was preparing to catch and kill the animal.

It follows warnings from the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) that the bee could endanger native species by spreading deadly viruses, or by multiplying and eventually outcompeting local rivals.

Experts said officials have become hyper-sensitive to the presence of any foreign bees due to invasions of Asian hornets, which prey on honey bees and other crucial pollinators.

A spokesman for the Animal and Plant Health Agency, part of Defra, warned travelers to check their luggage thoroughly before returning to the UK, especially if it has been kept outside.

“We are making arrangements to collect the bee for formal identification and destruction,” he said.