Washington State Officials: ‘Murder Hornets’ Eradicated in U.S. After 3-Year Battle
After three years of eradication efforts, the U.S. says goodbye to “murder hornets” that once threatened pollinators and public safety. 🌐 #News #OlympiaWA #Washington #Science
OLYMPIA, WA – After years of concern over the aggressive “murder hornets” threatening U.S. ecosystems, officials have announced that the northern giant hornet has been officially eradicated from the United States. The invasive species, first detected in Washington state in 2019, has not been sighted in over three years, marking a major victory for the teams working tirelessly to rid the country of these dangerous pests.
A Threat to Pollinators and Public Health
The northern giant hornet, known for its ability to destroy entire honey bee hives in under 90 minutes, posed a serious risk to both pollinators and human health. These hornets have a sting much more painful than that of a typical honey bee, and their swift destruction of hives could have had far-reaching consequences for agriculture.
The hornets were first identified in North America in British Columbia, Canada, in August 2019, before being confirmed in Washington state by December of that year. DNA evidence revealed that the hornets came from different countries, which only added to the alarm over their spread.
Eradication Efforts: A Collaborative Victory
The battle to eliminate the northern giant hornet was a collective effort, involving local, state, federal, and even international partners. In a joint statement released by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), officials declared the hornet eradicated.
Mark Davidson, Deputy Administrator at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, praised the joint effort, stating, “We are proud of this landmark victory in the fight against invasive species… USDA played a key role by providing critical funding, technology, personnel and research support, and scientific expertise that helped WSDA eradicate this pest.”
Public cooperation played a vital role in the success of this campaign.
“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.”
Ongoing Vigilance
Though the hornets are officially declared eradicated, Washington state officials are keeping a watchful eye for any potential return. Trapping efforts continued through 2024 in Whatcom County, but no hornets were found.
The most recent concern came in October 2024, when a Kitsap County resident reported a suspicious hornet. WSDA was unable to verify the species, but took precautionary measures by placing traps in the area and encouraging public reports.
“Luckily, we were already on the lookout for hornets when they showed up in Washington in 2019,” Spichiger said.
“Although they are now eradicated from the state, we’ll always be keeping an eye out for them and encourage community members to do the same. They got here once and they could do it again.”
With the northern giant hornet eradicated, officials are celebrating a hard-earned victory while maintaining vigilance to ensure the invasive species does not return.
RELATED TOPICS: Canada | Science | Washington
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