A photo shows a female Asian Hornet (Vespa Velutina) with its sting on September 30, 2014 at the Research Institute of Biology of the Insect (IRBI) in Tours, central France. The Asian Hornet, an invasive non-native species from Asia, is a highly effective predator of insects, including honey bees. French researchers at IRBI have been conducting research into whether native parasitic species, small flies known as Conops vesicularis, could have an impact on the health of Asian Hornet colonies, possibly leading to their decline in Europe. AFP PHOTO / GUILLAUME SOUVANT (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP) (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP via Getty Images)
Native to southeastern Asia, yellow-legged hornets are known to prey on other insects, Their presence in the United States could pose a threat to honeybees.
Guillaume Souvan/AFP/Getty Images

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The first live specimen of a yellow-legged hornet, which “poses a threat to honeybees and other pollinators,” has been detected in the wild in the United States, according to a release from the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The GDA, US Department of Agriculture, and the University of Georgia confirmed the presence of the hornet near Savannah, Georgia, in August, the release said.

The yellow-legged hornet is native to tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia and feeds on a variety of insects, according to the GDA. “If allowed to establish in the US, this invasive species could threaten honey production and Georgia’s native pollinators,” the release said.

In 2021, the Entomological Society of America updated its guidelines for acceptable insect common names to ban names that refer to ethnic or racial groups or may cause fear, and discourage names that reference geographical areas, especially for invasive species.
In 2021, the Entomological Society of America updated its guidelines for acceptable insect common names to ban names that refer to ethnic or racial groups or may cause fear, and discourage names that reference geographical areas, especially for invasive species.
Ted S. Warren/AP/FILE

Invasive insect formerly known as 'murder hornet' gets new name

“Pollinators play a significant role in Georgia’s agriculture industry, the state’s main economic driver, and it is imperative that these invasive pests are tracked and eradicated,” the GDA said. “We are working with USDA APHIS and UGA to trap, track, and eradicate these pests and will continue to assess the situation as new information becomes available and allocate additional resources as need.”

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is asking for the public’s help in reporting any sightings of the yellow-legged hornet, but is urging caution “in the event they come across” one.