OLYMPIA, Wash. — After three years without confirmed detections, officials declared the northern giant hornet is eradicated from Washington and the United States, the state Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.
Scientists said the giant hornets, also known as "murder" hornets, were first detected in the Pacific Northwest in December 2019.
The Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) found and eradicated a single hornet nest in October 2020 and three nests in August and September 2021. All nests were inside alder tree cavities.
The agency continued state and public trapping efforts this year in Whatcom County. Despite trapping and continued public outreach, no additional hornets were detected in the area.
There has not been a confirmed sighting of the giant hornet in Washington in three years.
Officials said eradicating the hornets from the country was possible through a multi-year collaboration between state, federal, and international government agencies and significant support from community members and groups, especially in Whatcom County.
“We’re pleased to announce the eradication of the northern giant hornet in Washington state,” said Derek Sandison, WSDA director. “I’m incredibly proud of our team, which has dedicated years of hard work to safeguarding our state and the nation from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture. I’d also like to acknowledge the federal, state, and local support that made this feat possible. This success is the result of our combined efforts.”
The insects are the world's largest hornets, with queens reaching up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. They are considered invasive in North America because they can kill other bee and hornet species, which is how they got the nickname "murder hornets."
The hornets can deliver a painful sting, which can result in death if a person is stung repeatedly. Northern giant hornets rarely attack humans unless provoked. About 30-50 people die annually from Northern giant hornet stings in Japan, one of their native habitats.
Had the hornets become established in the country, they could have posed a significant threat to honey bees and other pollinators and native insects. Northern giant hornets are able to kill an entire honey bee hive in as little as 90 minutes. They also pose a threat to human health as their sting is more dangerous than that of a honey bee.
The battle to prevent the Northern giant hornet, an apex predator, from establishing a foothold in was fought mostly in Whatcom County, and the nearby Fraser Valley of British Columbia. Whatcom County is about 55 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia.
“Without the public’s support for this effort, it is unlikely we would be announcing the eradication of northern giant hornet today,” said Sven Spichiger, WSDA pest program manager. “All of our nest detections resulted directly or indirectly from public reports. And half of our confirmed detections came from the public. The people of Washington can be proud that we did this by working together.”
A community member reported a suspicious hornet sighting in Kitsap County, south of Port Orchard in October. The WSDA did not find the hornet.
State officials played traps in the area and are encouraging reports of additional suspected sightings. The WSDA said it will start trapping in the area in 2025 as a precautionary measure.
A similar situation happened in 2020 when a single hornet specimen was found in Snohomish County, according to the WSDA. DNA evidence ruled out that specimen as being related to the Whatcom County detections. No additional hornets were found in Snohomish County.
