Washington Confirms 1st Live Asian Giant Hornet Sightings Of 2021

WASHINGTON — State entomologists this week confirmed the year's first sightings of live Asian giant hornets, also known as "murder hornets," after a Whatcom County resident snapped a photo of the creature outside their home Wednesday.

According to state officials, the hornet was seen in a rural area east of Blaine, just two miles from where the first known nest in the United States was found last October.

"This hornet is exhibiting the same behavior we saw last year — attacking paper wasp nests," said Sven Spichiger, managing entomologist for the Washington State Department of Agriculture. "If you have paper wasp nests on your property and live in the area, keep an eye on them and report any Asian giant hornets you see. Note the direction they fly off to as well."

For the latest sighting, WSDA teams are planning to set live traps in the area, with hopes to catch the hornet, attach a tracker and track it to its nest. Since the property is less than a mile from the Canadian border, officials in British Columbia will be setting traps of their own.

Late Friday afternoon, wildlife officials announced they successfully tagged two hornets but had yet to locate the nest.

State officials said members of public reporting sightings are key to their ongoing efforts to track down the hornets and their nests. In 2020, public reports led to 100 percent of Canada's confirmed sightings and accounted for half of those in Washington.

As the largest hornets in the world, the creatures are also considered invasive pests as they feed on honey bees and other native insects. Experts say even a small group of "murder hornets" can thoroughly destroy a honey bee hive in just a few hours. They typically hunt for prey in the late summer and early fall.

Anyone who thinks they may have spotted an Asian giant hornet is encouraged to snap a photo and report them online or by e-mail. Reports can also be made by phone at 1-800-443-6684.