‘Murder hornets’ may have been eradicated, but WA now faces new hornet threat in Vancouver

Washington agriculture officials are warning Vancouver-area residents to keep an eye out for a yellow-legged hornet.

The highly invasive species was discovered by a Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) grain inspector on a vessel at the Port of Vancouver on April 30. The inspector spotted the insect during a routine inspection, snapped a photo, and had it destroyed and discarded.

No other hornets were found, but traps have been put in place. Yellow-legged hornets have caused major losses to honey-bee colonies in Europe and have already taken hold in parts of the Southeast U.S.

“It has spread rapidly through Europe, where it has caused a 30% reduction in honey bee hives and honey production,” WSDA stated in a press release. “It was introduced to Georgia near the Port of Savannah in 2023 and has since spread to nearby South Carolina. Both states are currently undergoing eradication efforts.”

Description of yellow-legged hornet

According to the WSDA, the yellow-legged hornet is smaller than the northern giant hornet, also known as the “murder hornet.” WSDA declared that the northern giant hornet had been eradicated from the state in 2024, five years after it was first spotted.

This hornet is named for its legs, which are yellow on the lower half of the leg. The fourth segment on the abdomen is also yellow-orange.

Unlike the northern giant hornet, which tends to nest in tree cavities or in the ground, yellow-legged hornets usually build nests surrounded by a paper-like covering in tree branches or other outdoor areas. As many as 6,000 worker hornets can live in a single nest.

“We are hopeful that this was a one-off interception, which occasionally happens at our ports,” Sven Spichiger, WSDA Pest Program manager, said. “But given the serious nature of this hornet and its potential impact to honey bees, we are asking for extra vigilance from people in the Vancouver area. The public was critical to our ability to eradicate the northern giant hornet, and they will be just as important in responding to this introduction if there are more hornets in the area.”

WSDA is asking Vancouver residents and visitors to be on the lookout for and report suspected yellow-legged hornet sightings. If spotted, take a photo and, if you can safely do so, collect the specimen and put it in the freezer, then report your sighting to WSDA at agr.wa.gov/hornets or hornets@agr.wa.gov.

Asian needle ant with potentially life-threatening sting spreading across PNW

Gardeners, hikers, agricultural growers, and more – a heads up! There is a new bug in town – the Asian needle ant.

The ongoing warming of the planet is helping this invasive ant to spread into more places, including Washington and the Pacific Northwest. This past winter was the third warmest on record. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that this aggressive ant has made its way across the Pacific Northwest and is emerging.

What is the Asian needle ant?

The Asian needle ant is native to China, Japan, and the Koreas, according to the USDA. It was first discovered in the U.S. in 1932 and has become more prevalent in a number of southeastern U.S. states. Now it is here.

This ant is about 0.2 inches long, shiny, and is dark brown or black with lighter orange-brown legs. It likes to nest in undisturbed forest areas, particularly under or within logs, stones, or leaf litter.

In more urban areas, it likes to nest around homes and businesses under mulch, pavers, landscape timbers, and more.

Impacts

The Asian needle ant is another stinging ant. For humans, its sting can result in a life-threatening allergic reaction.

Native ants help disperse seeds through forests, gardens, agricultural fields, and more. The Asian needle ant dominates and pushes out other ant species, and as a result, reduces this critical seed distribution.

In forests, this impact can have long-term negative effects on forest undergrowth at a time when the threat of wildfires continues to grow, thanks to our warming planet.

Contributing: Ted Buehner, MyNorthwest

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