Trapping for Asian giant hornets - 8 things to know

Karla Salp
Communications

Please note - if you are not in Washington State, please DO NOT trap for Asian giant hornets. You have virtually no chance of catching an Asian giant hornet but can kill local insects. If you live outside of Washington and believe you have seen Asian giant hornets, please report to your state's invasive species managers, not to WSDA. 

Since the first report of Asian giant hornets in Washington last December, the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA) Pest Program has been doing extensive research and planning to find and, if possible, eradicate Asian giant hornets from Washington this summer.

The first step to eradicating this invasive pest - which threatens honeybees and all the crops they pollinate - is to locate the existing Asian giant hornet colonies. To do that, WSDA is enlisting the help of beekeepers and the public to trap and report Asian giant hornets in Washington. But helping out has risks and takes time, so read our list below before you decide to trap.

Here are the top eight things to know about trapping for Asian giant hornets:

1. You can help trap for Asian giant hornets. WSDA is especially looking for people in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan, Jefferson, and Clallam counties to trap for Asian giant hornets.
2. Trapping is a commitment. If you participate in trapping, it will require that you check traps and change the bait once per week for 17 weeks (if you start in July) or up to 34 weeks (if you start in April). You’ll also need to purchase the materials for the trap and bait, as well as mail any specimens you collect to WSDA.
3. The best time to trap is from July through October. The most likely time to catch Asian giant hornets is from July through October - when colonies are established and workers are out foraging. Traps can be hung as early as April if attempting to trap queens, but since there are significantly fewer queens than workers, catching a queen isn’t very likely.
4. You could get stung. Trapping for Asian giant hornets could increase your chances of being stung by one. While Asian giant hornets don’t typically bother people, they will sting if they feel threatened. Don’t trap for Asian giant hornets if you are allergic to bee or wasp stings. The venom of the Asian giant hornet is more toxic than that of local bees and wasps.
5. Hornet traps from the store won’t work. Hornet traps currently on the market in the United States won’t work for Asian giant hornets because their holes are too small. WSDA has researched numerous trapping options and has provided instructions on how to make and monitor homemade traps that will be effective for Asian giant hornets.
6. Reporting your trap location and catches is very important. Knowing where hornet traps are located and promptly reporting any Asian giant hornet catches will be critical to WSDA’s ability to find and remove Asian giant hornet nests. Failing to do so could thwart WSDA’s attempts to locate Asian giant hornets in Washington.
7. Do not approach or attempt to remove an Asian giant hornet nest. When trapping, you could come across an Asian giant hornet nest. They typically nest in the ground. Take care when placing traps and if you locate one, do not approach it. Contact WSDA immediately at 1-800-443-6684. WSDA has obtained special equipment for the removal of Asian giant hornet nests.
8. Beekeepers are helping WSDA evaluate experimental spring “sap traps.” Volunteers from the Mt. Baker Beekeeper Association are working with WSDA to test an experimental “sap trap” which uses tree sap as the bait to attract Asian giant hornets. This experimental trap is for use in the spring when queens emerge.

Trapping for Asian giant hornets is just the first step in locating and eradicating nests. WSDA is still finalizing plans for tracking live, trapped hornets back to their nests. To learn more about Asian giant hornets and WSDA’s program to eradicate them, visit agr.wa.gov/hornets.

Update: this blog was updated on April 27, 2020 to add Jefferson County to the list of targeted counties. 

Update: this blog was updated on May 8, 2020 to add information for people outside of Washington State. 

WSDA asks beekeepers to look for and report Asian giant hornet

Karla Salp
Communications

This year when beekeepers receive their annual reminder to register their hives, they will receive something else as well – a call to action to report Asian giant hornet sightings and attacks.

Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest hornet. While they will eat various types of insects, they have a favorite: honey bees. A handful of Asian giant hornets can kill an entire hive of bees in just a few short hours. They then take over the hive and defend it as their own, taking the brood and feeding them to their own young.

In December, WSDA received and confirmed two reports of Asian giant hornet in the areas of Blaine and Bellingham.

Identifying Asian giant hornet

You can spot an Asian giant hornet by a few characteristics:

• Usually 1.5 - 2 inches long
• Large orange/yellow heads with prominent eyes
• Black and yellow striped abdomen
• Form large colonies that usually nest in the ground

Asian giant hornet attacks

You may not see Asian giant hornets themselves, but you may see the aftermath of an Asian giant hornet attack. These hornets will leave piles of dead bees, most of them headless, outside their beehive, as shown in the photos below.

Bee kill photos courtesy of Teddy McFall

Reporting sightings/attacks

If you believe you have seen an Asian giant hornet or if a beekeeper has noticed the aftermath of an attack, we want to hear about it. There are several ways to report:

• Use the online reporting form at agr.wa.gov/hornets
• Email pestprogram@agr.wa.gov
• Call 1-800-443-6684

When reporting a sighting, please provide as much of the following details as possible:

• Photos of the hornet or beehive damage.
• Your name and contact information.
• The location where the hornet was spotted or the location of the impacted hives.
• Description of the loss or damage to a hive (if photos are not available.) 
• Date or approximate date observed.
• Direction of flight when the hornet flew away. 

Asian giant hornet imposters

Don’t be fooled! Several native species can be mistaken for the Asian giant hornet.

Paper wasp 

Paper wasps are more slender and smaller overall compared to the Asian giant hornet. They also do not have an orange/yellow head.

Bald-faced hornets 

Bald-faced hornets are about an inch long and are mostly black with white stripes and spots.

Yellow jacket  

Photo credit: M. Asche

Yellow jackets are less than an inch long. They have distinctly yellow faces with a black area near the top of the head.

Elm sawfly 

Photo credit: Neil Boyle

The elm sawfly can be as large, or larger, than the Asian giant hornet. They have a black face and yellow stripes, but they lack a stinger.

Use extreme caution near Asian giant hornets

Asian giant hornet abdomen and stinger

Asian giant hornets have a much longer stinger than honeybees. Typical beekeeping attire will not protect you from Asian giant hornet stings. Additionally, their venom is more toxic than that of local honeybees and wasps and they have a comparatively greater supply of the venom as well.

Asian giant hornets can sting repeatedly. Those who are allergic to bee or wasp stings should never approach an Asian giant hornet.

Never try to remove an Asian giant hornet nest. If you find an Asian giant hornet nest, report it immediately to WSDA.

Asian giant hornets are not generally aggressive towards humans, pets, or other mammals, but they can attack if they feel threatened. Asian giant hornet stings – especially repeated stings – can require medical attention, even in those who are not normally allergic to bee or wasp stings. Several hornet-related deaths occur each year where they are native in Asia. 

Updated on May 22, 2020 to correct the number of confirmed sightings.