An invasive hornet species that is a close cousin of the Asian giant hornet, otherwise known as the “murder hornet,” has been found in the United States for the first time.
A yellow-legged hornet was discovered this month near Savannah, Georgia, and according to agriculture officials, they pose a threat to honeybees and other pollinators.
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“These pollinators play a significant role in Georgia’s agriculture industry, the state’s main economic driver, and it is imperative that these invasive pests are tracked and eradicated,” the Georgia Department of Agriculture stated.
The hornet is native to Southeast Asia and is a close cousin of the “murder hornet” due to its deadly devastation to bee colonies, according to a report from NPR.
Georgia residents are urged to report any more sightings of these hornets online and to take a photo if they can do so safely.
Currently, Georgia is the only state where these hornets have been spotted. It’s unknown if they could make their way to Texas or anywhere else in the nation.
Georgia agriculture officials said if you find one of these hornets outside the state, contact your local extension agency or Dept. of Agriculture.
How can you recognize one of these hornets?
As this is the first time one of these pests has been found in the United States so far, it may be difficult to identify them.
According to Georgia agriculture officials, these hornets are typically half the size of a Northern Giant Hornet. The NGH is the world’s largest hornet and can grow up to two inches long, according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
They also have yellow or partially yellow legs, hence the species’ name. However, the color of their heads and bodies can vary.
Yellow-legged hornets also form their nests in trees, which can house as many as 6,000, according to agriculture officials.
Who is threatened by the yellow-legged hornets?
The yellow-legged hornet primarily targets honeybees, and with that comes an even bigger threat to Georgia’s agriculture industry.
If they’re not eradicated before spreading across the U.S., they can greatly impact the nation’s farming industry.
Georgia agriculture officials said they are partnering with other agencies to help eradicate the hornets.
“We are working with USDA APHIS and UGA to trap, track, and eradicate these pests and will continue to assess the situation as new information becomes available and allocate additional resources as needed,” Georgia agriculture officials said.
According to NPR, these hornets and murder hornets both pose a problem to bees.
“They’re bigger and stronger than honey bees, and they have a thick exoskeleton that protects them from stings,” the NPR reports.
When these hornets find a bee hive to target, they utilize pheromones to call for more hornets to take over their prey, according to the NPR.
Once these pests take over a beehive and kill the worker bees, they collect the bee larvae left behind.
It’s unclear what the hornets’ impact can be on a human.
We’ve reached out to local agricultural officials for more insight on if these pests can make their way to South Texas.
We’ll bring more updates as they become available.