The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on December 18 that the Asian giant hornets have been eradicated in the United States. The Asian giant hornet, also known as the “murder hornet,” was first discovered in the U.S. five years ago due to its aggressive nature and potentially deadly sting.
This invasive species, originally known as the Asian giant hornet, was first found in North America in August 2019 in British Columbia, Canada. A few months later, this species originating from Asia was discovered in Whatcom County, Washington.
Although the timing and locations of these two discoveries were close, DNA evidence suggested that they were not from the same group as samples from each location appeared to be from different countries.
Concerns about the threat this species posed to other insects led to efforts to eliminate the Asian giant hornets.
After three years without any confirmed sightings, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the hornets have been eradicated.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that the Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest hornet, with a body length of up to two inches (five centimeters).
The Washington State Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted that while this species usually does not attack humans unless threatened, its sting is more dangerous than that of a honeybee.
If the hornets had established a population in the U.S., they could have posed a “significant threat” to pollinators, native insects, and honeybees. They could decimate a honeybee colony within hours, claiming the hive as their own and taking the bee larvae to feed their own offspring.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture reported discovering and eliminating a hornet nest in October 2020 and three nests in August and September 2021. All nests were found inside the cavities of dead tree trunks.
The Department continued its trapping efforts in Whatcom County this year and has not found any other hornets in the area.
Residents of Kitsap County in southern Washington reported a suspicious hornet sighting in October this year, but the Washington State Department of Agriculture could not capture the hornet, so the presence of this species in the region could not be confirmed.
The Department mentioned that a lone yellow-hornet specimen was found in Snohomish County in 2020. DNA evidence confirmed that this specimen was unrelated to the hornets found in Whatcom County.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture stated it would continue trapping in the area in 2025 as a preventive measure.