Five years after the invasive species was initially discovered in Washington state, officials declared Wednesday that so-called “murder hornets” have been eliminated from the United States.
In a joint statement released Wednesday, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the northern giant hornet has been eradicated from the United States after it was not found for three years.
According to officials, the multi-year effort to eradicate the species started in 2019 and involves “significant support from community members and groups as well as extensive collaboration between state, federal, and international government agencies.”
In the release, WSDA Director Derek Sandison stated, “I’m immensely proud of our team, which has put in years of hard work to protect our state and the country from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture.”
The assistance of the public was highlighted by WSDA pest program manager Sven Spichiger, who stated that “all of our nest detections resulted directly or indirectly from public reports.” He also mentioned that the general population was responsible for 50% of all confirmed hornet detections.
According to the announcement, “We are proud of this landmark victory in the fight against invasive species,” said Mark Davidson, deputy administrator at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. “The success of this effort demonstrates what s possible when agencies and communities unite toward a common goal.”
In August 2019, the northern giant hornet was discovered for the first time in British Columbia. In December 2019, it was discovered in Washington state, USA.
Three hornet nests were “found and eradicated” by the WSDA in August and September of 2021, and one was discovered in October 2020. According to the organization, trapping operations persisted this year.
According to officials, the murder hornets might have posed a serious threat to honey bees, other pollinators, and other native insects because they can destroy an entire colony of honey bees in just ninety minutes.
According to officials, the insects pose a hazard to people because their sting is more harmful than that of honey bees.
According to officials, a person in Kitsap County, Washington, reported seeing a suspicious hornet in October. However, the WSDA was never able to get the hornet, thus it was not possible to test it to determine whether the murder hornet species had spread to a new location.
According to the WSDA, traps have been set in the region, and anyone who sees hornets is urged to report them. Although the WSDA’s efforts have not yet produced additional proof that murder hornets have penetrated the area, they will continue to trap there in 2025.
“Luckily, we were already on the lookout for hornets when they showed up in Washington in 2019,” Spichiger stated. “Even though they are no longer seen in the state, we will continue to watch for them and urge neighbors to do the same. They could come again after being here once.
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