The murder hornet, formally known as the northern giant hornet, has been eradicated five years after it was first spotted in Washington state, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
The insect is known for its dangerous sting, which can kill an entire honey bee hive in “as little as 90 minutes,” decapitate bees and threaten pollinators and native insects. The species was first discovered in 2019 in Washington near the Canadian border. The WSDA and U.S. Departments of Agriculture confirmed that northern giant hornets have not been detected in Washington since 2021.
The hornets, typically 2 inches (5 cm) long, were first called Asian giant hornets, the Associated Press reports, citing the National Institutes of Health. The insect has nearly seven times the venom of a honey bee. Unlike the honey bee, it can sting multiple times and through a beekeeper suit. The WSDA ordered special reinforced suits from China to protect employees during the eradication efforts.
The species killed 42 people and seriously injured 1,675 in China in 2013, according to a WSDA and USDA Wednesday news conference.
Washington State Department of Agriculture
In August 2019, the hornets were detected in North America in British Columbia, Canada. The Invasive Species Centre in Canada confirmed the species has not been found in British Columbia since 2021 and has also been eradicated there.
In December 2019, a Whatcom County, Wash. resident found the insect. “DNA evidence suggests there were two different introductions as specimens from each location appeared to originate from different countries,” per the release.
In the following years, the WSDA found and eradicated a single hornet nest in October 2020, then three nests in August and September 2021. This past year, the WSDA continued trapping efforts in Whatcom County. The county has not encountered the hornets since December 2021, making the recent three-year mark the official declaration that the species has been eradicated.
Additionally, the county’s residents also assisted in their eradication by agreeing to put traps on their properties and report sightings. Researchers could track the insects’ movements by using dental floss to attach tiny radio tracking tags to the insects, per the AP.
Washington State Department of Agriculture
“We are proud of this landmark victory in the fight against invasive species,” said Dr. Mark Davidson, Deputy Administrator at U.S.D.A.’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. “By tackling this threat head-on, we protected not only pollinators and crops, but also the industries, communities, and ecosystems that depend on them.”
“I’ve gotta tell you, as an entomologist — I’ve been doing this for over 25 years now, and it is a rare day when the humans actually get to win one against the insects,” Sven Spichiger, pest program manager of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, said in the virtual news conference.
“We had a little luck from the weather, a little luck from genetics, but most of all, we had a lot of tenacity from the population up there calling in reports, and our crew is going out and working really hard.”
Washington State Department of Agriculture
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The state will continue to remain vigilant. It will also monitor Kitsap County, where one resident reported an unconfirmed sighting in October 2024.
