SAN ANTONIO – A new invasive hornet that is a close cousin of the “murder hornet” otherwise known as the Asian giant hornet, is invoking fear after one was found recently near Savannah, Georgia.
The fear isn’t due to the yellow-legged hornet imposing dangers to humans -- rather, it’s the impact they could have on the agriculture industry or the devastation they could put on honeybee colonies.
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This is also the first time one of these hornets has been found alive in the U.S.
According to Georgia agriculture officials, eradication efforts are currently underway by multiple agencies to put a stop to these pests from spreading to other areas.
An associate professor of agriculture at Texas A&M University spoke to KSAT on Friday about whether it’s possible for these pests to spread to South Texas, and if so, what that could mean.
“It could be a possibility in the future. We haven’t had the same issue with the Asian giant hornet...,” said Dr. Juliana Rangel, an associate professor with Texas A&M University. “This one, it’s a little frightening that they were found in Georgia.”
Where there’s one, there could be more
Only one of these pests has been documented in the Savannah area, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more.
“If they found one in Georgia, it’s probable that there could be more found,” Rangel said.
For a colony to exist, there would of course need to be male and female hornets. And with one of them found roaming in wild conditions, there is the possibility for smaller nests in the same area that just haven’t been discovered yet, according to Rangel.
Georgia agriculture officials have a strong eradication program underway, but according to Rangel, it isn’t a quick fix.
“[They have a] very strong eradication program in place they have adopted. Not just right now -- they have to keep it going for a few years,” Rangel said.
Rangel said it’s likely the eradication program will work, but it doesn’t rule out that Texas wouldn’t be on their radar if they were able to venture to other areas in the south.
Are humans likely to be stung by these hornets?
“They shouldn’t be attacking us – [they’re] looking for prey,” Rangel said. “They usually mind their own business.”
If you ever encounter what you believe is a yellow-legged hornet, the odds of them stinging you are slim.
Given that these hornets primarily target honeybees or honeybee colonies, unless you were to aggravate them, they’ll likely just mind their own business.
Instead, they’ll be looking for honeybees or any other insect that may approach when they’re on the hunt for food.
“They’re carnivorous and basically omnivorous. They will eat any insect if they’re really hungry. They prefer to consume honeybees,” Rangel said. “Because of their large size, they require several prey to be satisfied.”
These hornets can quickly disseminate colonies and Rangel said the bees in Texas aren’t prepared for such a battle.
“Similar to other invasive parasites... our bees are not really well prepared to combat these novel invasive species. They’re at a disadvantage,” Rangel said.
If they were to venture to Texas and take a toll on the bee population, the repercussions on agriculture in Texas could be significant.
Honeybees pollinate melons, sunflowers and help in the production of cotton and other crops, according to Rangel.
“There will definitely be a huge impact,” she added.
Cicada killer, Asian giant hornet, or yellow-legged hornet?
When “murder hornets” made headlines two years ago, many Texans got the species confused with cicada killers.
Now with another hornet in the mix, it may be hard to differentiate between the three, especially with them all being around the same size.
Here’s how you can tell the difference:
- Cicada killers: Commonly found in Texas, they primarily target cicadas. They are overall black or “rusty “in color, have russet-colored wings, and have yellow band markings on their abdomens, according to Texas A&M.
- Murder hornets: Have not been found in Texas. They, like cicada killers, have yellow stripes on their abdomens but also have orange and black stripes.
- Yellow-legged hornets: One has been found in Savannah, Georgia, but not in Texas. They also have yellow endings on their legs, unlike cicada killers and murder hornets.
If you think you’ve come across one, first double-check that it’s not a cicada killer.
Rangel said if you’re able to safely collect the insect, do so and get ahold of the Texas Dept. of Agriculture for further review.
You can learn more about these hornets in our previous article here.