Officials remove a nest of “murder hornets” in Washington in 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of Agriculture)
Authorities say invasive “murder hornets” have been eradicated from the United States after there have been no confirmed sightings of the giant wasps in the past three years.
Northern giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia), known as “murder hornets,” are the largest wasps in the world and have a fearsome reputation for posing a threat to U.S. wildlife and human health. Native to Asia, the hornets arrived in North America in 2019, and authorities have been working to eradicate them ever since.
On Wednesday (December 18), the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that they had successfully rid Washington state of the hornets, which was their only known habitat in the United States.
“We are pleased to announce the elimination of the northern giant hornet from Washington State,” said WSDA Director Derek Sandison.
These huge hornets, also called Asian giant hornets, kill smaller insects and pose a significant threat to honey bees. Known for their “killer” attacks, the hornets sometimes launch coordinated group attacks on honey bees and can quickly destroy entire hives.
Hornets also pose a threat to human health, primarily because some people may have allergic reactions to their venom, but also because multiple hornets attacking at once can, in rare cases, cause organ failure even in non-allergic individuals.
The hornets were first spotted in North America on Vancouver Island in Canada and were later found near Blaine in Washington state. Authorities responded by identifying and destroying the hornet nests.
In 2020, scientists used dental floss to attach miniature radio trackers to live hornets and tracked them to their nests, the Associated Press reported. Pest control teams also worked with the public to find and remove the insects.
“Without the public’s support in this effort, it is unlikely that we would be able to declare the northern giant hornet eradicated today,” Sven Spichiger, pest program manager at WSDA, said in a statement. “All of our nest finds were the direct or indirect result of public reports. And half of our confirmed finds were from citizens.”
How did hornets appear?
Researchers aren't sure how the hornets got to the U.S., but they could have been imported either intentionally or accidentally. The hornets are eaten throughout Asia and used in traditional medicine, so it's possible they were smuggled in for those purposes or accidentally found in international cargo.
In 2021, authorities determined that a single dead hornet found near Marysville, Washington, had no connection to the original 2019 group of invaders and likely arrived separately, indicating multiple introductions. However, that dead hornet was the only one ever found with that genetic makeup, and the 2019 group now appears to be completely eradicated.
A resident reported a suspicious hornet in October 2024 in Kitshap County, but WSDA was unable to locate or identify the insect. Officials set traps in the area and spoke with community members but found nothing, according to the statement.
“Thankfully, we were on the lookout when the hornets showed up in Washington in 2019,” Spichiger said. “While they are now eradicated from the state, we will always be on the lookout for them and encourage community members to do the same. They have been here before and may come back again.”
Sourse: www.livescience.com
