Bethany Abrahamson – Northern Giant Hornet Update

What about those “murder hornets” I heard so much about?
It seems like everyone went crazy over the Northern giant hornet, formerly known as Asian giant hornet, back in 2020 after it was found in Washington State. Understandably worried citizens in New Mexico and all across the country were out looking for this pest. Northern giant hornets are formidable-looking critters, up to a whopping two inches long. They have a reputation for killing entire colonies of honeybees.

Trying to eradicate these hornets was no easy task, especially during COVID. A normal bee suit does little to stop a Northern giant hornet, requiring eradicators to dress in sci-fi style suits while capturing nests.

Thankfully, the nightmare is over, for now: In December, Washington State Department of Agriculture and the USDA declared that northern giant hornets had been eradicated. It takes two years with no captures to be declared eradicated, so this is a very good sign!

We have a lot of large wasps in New Mexico that can make keeping an eye out for the Northern giant hornet difficult. Pictures do make the hornet look bigger than it is, and several other hornets native to NM are nearly the same size, such as the cicada killer wasp.

Invasive species are always a threat, of course. In 2023, another invasive Hymenopteran was found in Georgia: the yellow-legged hornet. It too poses a threat to bees and other pollinators, and could also be mistaken for a cicada killer wasp. According to USDA, it has since been found in South Carolina as well.

Photo credit: Allan Smith-Pardo, Invasive Hornets, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

In our globalized society it’s becoming easier for invasive pests to move around, and state and federal entities work hard to keep these pests out. It’s always good to be vigilant in your garden—take the time to learn the regular arthropod visitors to your area so you know what to look for.

Learn More:
Here are the USDA pages for yellow-legged hornet and the northern giant hornet.
Check out NMDA’s official Northern giant hornet page for more information on Northern giant hornet look-alikes and what to do if you suspect Northern giant hornet in your yard.

–Bethany Abrahamson
Extension Agriculture Agent
babraham@nmsu.edu