SEATTLE — The invasive northern giant hornet, often referred to as the “murder hornet” due to its potent sting and devastating impact on honey bee colonies, has been declared eradicated in the United States. This announcement comes five years after the hornet’s initial appearance in Washington state, located near the Canadian border.
The eradication news was made public by the Washington and U.S. Departments of Agriculture on Wednesday, confirming that there have been no reported sightings of the northern giant hornet in Washington since 2021. This achievement is significant and can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of local residents, who participated by setting traps on their properties and reporting any sightings of the species. Additionally, researchers successfully tagged a hornet with a small radio tracker using dental floss, enabling them to trace it to a nest situated in an alder tree, which was subsequently destroyed right as new queens were starting to emerge.
Sven Spichiger, the pest program manager for the Washington State Department of Agriculture, expressed his enthusiasm, stating that such victories for humanity against insect invasions are rare in his 25 years of experience in entomology. This event marks a victory in the long-standing challenge of managing invasive insect species.
The northern giant hornets, which can grow up to 2 inches (5 cm) long and were previously known as Asian giant hornets, first drew public attention in 2013 after a series of attacks in China that resulted in 42 fatalities and over 1,600 injuries. In contrast, it is reported that approximately 72 people in the U.S. lose their lives each year due to bee and hornet stings, based on data from the National Institutes of Health.
These hornets were initially detected in North America in British Columbia, Canada in August 2019, and confirmed in Washington state by December of the same year. Reports from beekeepers over the summer of 2020 indicated attacks on hives and provided specific specimens to authorities for identification. Experts suggest these hornets may have arrived in North America hidden in plant pots or shipping containers.
Genetic analysis indicated that the hornet populations found in British Columbia and Washington are unrelated, suggesting they originated from distinct areas. There have also been no confirmed sightings in British Columbia since 2021, and the Invasive Species Centre in Canada has declared the species eradicated there as well.
These hornets represent a significant danger to local pollinator populations and other native insect species. They have the terrifying ability to obliterate a honey bee hive in a mere 90 minutes by decapitating the bees and repurposing the hive for their own young. The hornet’s sting is much more powerful than that of a honey bee—delivering nearly seven times more venom—and they can sting multiple times, rendering standard beekeeper suits often ineffective. At one point, special reinforced suits were even ordered from China to assist in dealing with the hornet threat.
Washington state has been the only place in the U.S. where northern giant hornets were confirmed, with four nests identified by trappers in 2020 and 2021. Spichiger cautioned that despite this promising report of eradication, vigilance will continue. Traps will still be monitored in Kitsap County, as there was an unverified sighting reported in October, although no successful captures have occurred since.
Spichiger also acknowledged the threat posed by other invasive hornet species. States like Georgia and South Carolina are currently battling yellow-legged hornets, while southern giant hornets have recently been identified in Spain. “We will continue to maintain a state of alert,” he assured.