New Hornet Found in the US; Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina)
Earlier this week (19 Aug 2023) the Georgia Department of Agriculture announced the finding of a Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) in Savanah, GA. The identification has been confirmed by the USDA. This is the first confirmed detection of this species in the United States. It is native to tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia and was previously introduced in Europe and parts of the Middle East.
The yellow-legged hornet (previously known as Asian hornet) is a social wasp species that constructs egg-shaped paper nests above ground, often in trees. Their nests can become large, housing as many as 6,000 workers. Similar in size and appearance to the common European hornet (Vespa crabro), yellow-legged hornets are insectivores that prey on honey bees, dragonflies, flies, and other large-bodied insects. This hornet could potentially threaten nearby honey bee populations and native pollinators. James Wilson, Apiculturist at VA Tech, commented “From a management perspective, I would encourage Virginia Beekeepers to look more closely at the possibility of locally produced nucleus colonies and queens. IF this develops into a larger problem in Georgia, I imagine that it could lead to greater costs and lower quality queens and packages coming out of Georgia. Now is as good a time as any to consider teaming up in your area to work together for healthier bees that are locally sourced.”
If you see a possible yellow-legged hornet and can SAFELY obtain a photo - yellow-legged hornets can be dangerous and their sting potentially harmful – send photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Many hornets have distinctive markings on the top of their abdomen. Photos including this body feature would be particularly helpful in identifying the species. Include with the email:
- Your name and contact information.
- The location of the sighting.
Information on the Georgia find and V. velutina can be found at:
https://agr.georgia.gov/pr/discovery-yellow-legged-hornet-confirmed-georgia-first-time
https://idtools.org/hornet_screening/index.cfm?packageID=1099&entityID=2797
https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/BEES/Vespa_velutina.html