Are northern giant hornets bugging out of Washington state?

(The Center Square) — There is cautious optimism that the invasive and predatory northern giant hornet has been eradicated from Washington state.

But that’s not official yet. According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Evergreen State must go three years without detection to meet the regulatory definition of eradication.  

There have been no confirmed sightings of the northern giant hornet, previously known as the Asian giant hornet or the more colorful “murder hornet,” since late summer 2021 when four nests were found and destroyed in Whatcom County in northern Washington along the Canadian border.

“No hornets have been detected so far this year, but the season is still early,” Karla Salp, WSDA communications consultant, emailed The Center Square.

Northern giant hornet season typically runs from July through November.

“If we don’t detect any hornets this year, we would likely declare them eradicated in conjunction with USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture],” Salp explained. “That won’t be known until the end of the year, once all of the trapping is complete and the field traps are brought in and checked, which will probably be the end of December.”

Native to temperate and tropical regions of East and Southeast Asia, including parts of China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka, Vespa mandarinia was first detected in the Pacific Northwest in late 2019, coinciding with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The insect is the world’s largest hornet, with queens reaching up to 2 inches in length. The apex predators are considered an invasive species in North America and are well known for their aggression and ability to kill bees and other hornet species.

A small group of northern giant hornets can, in a matter of hours, kill an entire honey bee hive. Honey bees pollinate many of the crops in Washington’s multibillion-dollar agriculture industry.

The Washington Invasive Species Council notes the potential impact if the non-native insect is allowed to get a foothold in Washington.

“Northern giant hornet poses a serious threat to Washington honeybees and the honeybee industry,” the organization’s website states. “While the extent of possible damage to Washington’s honeybee industry is not yet known, a similar hornet in Europe has reduced beehives by 30 percent and up to two-thirds of the honey yield.”

Washington's 2023 honey production, at 2.24 million pounds, was 19% lower than in 2022, according to a USDA news release from earlier this year. There were 83,000 honey-producing colonies, 3,000 lower than the previous year. The yield per colony averaged 27 pounds, compared with 32 pounds per colony in 2022.

According to an October 2023 USDA news release, the value of Washington's 2022 agricultural production totaled $12.8 billion, shattering the previous record high of $10.4 billion in 2015 and up 27% from the revised previous year's value of $10.1 billion. The value of Washington's crop production in 2022 was $8.6 billion, up 22% from 2021.

The hefty hornets rarely attack people unless provoked. Repeated, powerful stings from the insect can cripple or even kill a human being. The northern giant hornet is responsible for as many as 50 deaths a year in Japan.

While the state’s coordinated response and extermination campaign over the past year appears to be paying off, WSDA officials want people to keep watching out for the northern giant hornet and report any sightings.

People are urged to report any sightings or evidence of a hive attack to WSDA by using the Hornet Watch Report Form, emailing hornets@agr.wa.gov, or calling 1-800-443-6684. Any report should include name and contact information, the location and date of the sighting or attack, a photograph of the hornet or damage, and a description of the hive loss or damage.