Netted and tagged with a tracker this so-called ‘murder hornet’ led the state to its nest
The first Asian giant hornet nest of 2021 was found Thursday morning, Aug. 19, in a rural area east of Blaine, about one-quarter mile from where a resident reported a sighting of a live Asian giant hornet on Wednesday, Aug. 11.
The state agriculture staff netted, tagged with a tracker and released three of hornets Aug. 11, to Tuesday, Aug. 17, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Agriculture. One of the so-called “murder hornets” slipped out of the tracking device, another hornet was never located and one eventually led the team to the nest.
The Washington agency, along with the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service narrowed the search area by Tuesday but was unable to access the location until Thursday.
The search began at 7:30 a.m. Thursday and the teams spotted the nest about 9:15 a.m.
State entomologists will develop plans to eradicate the nest, most likely next week, according to the news release.
Up to 2 inches long, the Asian giant hornet, or Vespa mandarinia, is the world’s largest hornet species. They are identifiable by their large yellow/orange heads. The hornets are known for their painful stings.
They will attack people and pets when threatened. People should be extremely cautious near them, state agriculture officials have said, and those who have allergic reactions to bee or wasp stings should never approach an Asian giant hornet, according to earlier reporting in The Bellingham Herald.
The invasive hornets are feared for the threat they pose to honeybees and, by extension, the valuable crops in Washington state that the bees pollinate, including blueberry and other cane crops in the region that includes Whatcom County.
They also prey on local pollinators such as wasps, posing a threat to the local ecosystem, state entomologists have said.
“Finding the nest with (the agency) one day after simulating tagging and tracking in training was a very rewarding experience and demonstrates just how valuable the (Washington State Department of Agriculture) training was,” Stacy Herron, a federal plant health safeguarding specialist who assisted on the hornet project last year, said in the news release.
“While Asian giant hornets have not yet been detected in Oregon, we are pleased to participate and learn first-hand from our partners on what it takes to respond to introductions of this emerging pest,” said Jake Bodart, Oregon Department of Agriculture Insect Pest Prevention Management program manager.
“Teamwork has been the key to success with this effort,” Sven Spichiger, Washington State Department of Agriculture managing entomologist, said in the news release. “Whether it is the public reporting sightings and building traps or state and federal agencies working together, this is really a model for success in invasive species management.”
While one nest has been located, there may still be more, according to the news release. Residents are still asked to report suspected Asian giant hornet sightings.
Spot a ‘Murder Hornet’?
Washington state residents can report possible sightings of an Asian giant hornet to the state Department of Agriculture online at agr.wa.gov/hornets, via email at hornets@agr.wa.gov, or by calling 1-800-443-6684.
Take a photo or keep a specimen if you can. They’re needed for confirmation.
Citizen science trapping instructions also are on the website.
More on the department’s Asian giant hornet effort can be found at facebook.com/groups/hornets.
This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Netted and tagged with a tracker this so-called ‘murder hornet’ led the state to its nest."
