Invasive ‘Murder Hornets’ Eliminated in the U.S. After Five Years, Say Agriculture Officials

December 19, 2024 TruthUSA

According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, northern giant hornets have not been spotted in the past three years.

Officials announced on December 18 that the northern giant hornet, often referred to as the “murder hornet” due to its aggressive behavior and potentially lethal sting, has been eradicated from the United States, five years after its initial detection in the country.

Previously known as Asian giant hornets, this invasive species was first identified in North America in British Columbia, Canada, in August 2019. Shortly afterward, in December 2019, a resident in Whatcom County, Washington reported finding a specimen.

Even though these two incidents occurred within a short period and geographical proximity of each other, DNA analysis indicated separate introductions, as the specimens seemed to have come from different countries.

Eradication efforts were initiated due to concerns that these hornets could threaten local insect populations.

With three years passing without any confirmed sightings, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have officially declared the removal of the hornets.

“We’re happy to announce that the northern giant hornet has been eradicated in Washington state,” WSDA Director Derek Sandison stated in a press release. “I’m extremely proud of our team’s dedication over the years to protecting our state and the nation from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture.”

According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the northern giant hornet is the largest in the world, reaching lengths of up to 2 inches (5 cm).

Typically, this species does not attack humans unless it feels threatened; however, its sting is notably more dangerous than that of a honey bee, as stated by the WSDA and USDA.

If these hornets had established themselves in the United States, they could have posed a “significant threat” to pollinators, native insects, and honey bees. They are known to decimate a honey bee hive in a matter of hours by decapitating the bees, claiming the hive for themselves, and carrying away the brood to nourish their larvae.

The WSDA revealed that it “located and eradicated” a solitary hornet nest in October 2020, followed by three additional nests in August 2021 and September 2021.

All discovered nests were located in cavities of alder trees, according to the department.

The WSDA continued its trapping initiatives this year in Whatcom County, with no further hornets detected in that area.

While there was a report from a community member about a suspicious hornet sighting in Kitsap County, south of Port Orchard, in October 2024, the WSDA could not capture the hornet and thus could not confirm its presence in the new county record for the species.

A similar occurrence transpired in 2020 when a single hornet specimen was found in Snohomish County. The department confirmed through DNA evidence that it was unrelated to the Whatcom County findings.

A Washington State Department of Agriculture worker displays a northern giant hornet taken from a nest in Blaine, Wash., on Oct. 24, 2020. (Elaine Thompson/AP Photo) — A Washington State Department of Agriculture worker exhibits a northern giant hornet retrieved from a nest in Blaine, Wash., on October 24, 2020. Elaine Thompson/AP Photo

WSDA mentioned it will carry out trapping in the area in 2025 as a precaution.

“While they are now eradicated in the state, we remain vigilant and encourage community members to do the same,” stated WSDA Pest Program Manager Sven Spichiger. “They previously arrived here once and they could do it again.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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