They were specially created by environmentalists as a home for dormice where the timid creatures could be filmed and monitored.

But the special nesting boxes at Wakehurst Place have proved to be a popular home for some slightly bolder characters.

A family of great tits wasted no time in moving in before the dormice could even get a look in.

And they were not the only unwelcome guests.

Once the chicks had flown the nest the birds moved on, leaving the popular pad free for Hermione the hornet and her harem of workers.

The previously empty wooden box is now buzzing with activity and visitors can see the daily routines of the hornets on film as they make their nest.

Visiting schoolchildren are undeterred by the giant winged creatures, which have proved a popular attraction.

Hermione, who was christened by the children, is now 2in long and has reared 15 female workers.

The worker hornets are now dismantling and rebuilding the nest, which will eventually fill the box.

The teams at Wakehurst Place, near Haywards Heath, had aimed to be the first in the country to capture dormice on film.

To date, none of the elusive creatures, who spend most of their time climbing among tree branches in search of food, have been spotted but environmentalists are not giving up.

Christine Newton, who runs the schools programme at Wakehurst, said: "It's quite unusual.

"Hornets have become more common but the odd thing is the boxes are placed with the entrance hole up against a tree to help the dormice and, in theory, make it harder for other animals to get in.

"It's very hard to capture dormice in the wild on film as they are nocturnal. But we'll keep trying.

"When we eventually get a family in one of the boxes we'll be able to see inside the nest and we'll also put up a camera so we can see them coming and going too.

"It's a bit like Big Brother for dormice only now we've got interlopers."

The project is part of Go Wild, a programme of events to teach children about wildlife and sustainability.