Giant Asian (Northern) Murder Hornet Eradicated in WA, Say Officials

After a multi-year effort across WA State and the Northwest, the Department of Agriculture has officially proclaimed the Giant Asian (Northern) Murder Hornet has been eradicated. This also applies to the rest of the US, according to the USDA.

   The hornet first showed up in 2019 in BC

This week, at a press conference the WSDA announced:

“We’re pleased to announce the eradication of the northern giant hornet in Washington state,” Derek Sandison, WSDA director, said. “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.”

WA State and the region have gone three years without a verified sighting or capture of any of the hornets, leading to the eradication decree.

The hornet, which is native to many parts of Asia, was known initially as the Giant Asian 'Murder' Hornet, then changed to Northern. The murder name came from its ability to destroy other insects and their habitats, namely bees.

A swarm of the nearly 2-inch long hornets could destroy a typical beehive in less than 2 hours, and the predator has no known enemy in the US--any insect capable of defeating it.

The hornet was first detected in 2019, when they were found in British Columbia in August, then in WA State in December.  They were first detected in Whatcom County, WA, and immediate trapping and monitoring efforts began.

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WSDA officials believe the two initial sightings and limited spread of the predator likely came from 2 different countries or sources.

A community member, says the WSDA, captured an image of what appears to be some kind of hornet in Kitsap County near Port Orchard in 2024. However, the actual hornet was not able to be obtained. Officials placed numerous traps in the immediate area, but after months of monitoring, no traces of the hornet were found.

However, as a precaution, the monitored area will be expanded and continue to be checked in 2025.

As is with most non-native predators, whether insect, animal, or plant, most of them arrive on ships from other countries, and are introduced into the US ecosystem. Often, species from across the world do not have any predators in our region, so their growth can often be unchecked.