Washington Successfully Finds 1st Giant Hornet Nest Of 2021

BLAINE, WA — A team of agriculture inspectors has successfully located another giant hornet nest, just over a week since a Whatcom County resident reported the first live sighting of the year. The Washington State Department of Agriculture narrowed its search on Tuesday and successfully tracked down the nest Thursday in a rural area east of Blaine, about a quarter-mile from the sighting.

In a news release, the WSDA said it successfully tagged and released three hornets over the last week. One hornet slipped out of the tracking device, another disappeared, and the third ultimately led them to the nest. On Thursday, teams arrived at the nest and documented it with help from colleagues at the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Teamwork has been the key to success with this effort," said Sven Spichiger, managing entomologist at WSDA. "Whether it is public reporting sightings and building traps or state and federal agencies working together, this is really a model for success in invasive species management."

Asian giant hornets, also known as "murder hornets," are not native to the United States and pose a threat to honey bees and other insects. Entomologists plan to return next week and eradicate the nest. Even with the first nest accounted for, officials said it's possible there are more to be found. Residents are encouraged to report any suspected sighting to the state.

Watch a video on Thursday's discovery below: