Officials Announce Eradication of 'Murder Hornet' from the U.S.

 Officials reported that the northern giant hornet, which was first discovered in the U.S. in 2019, has not been detected in the past three years. The hornet had posed a threat to honeybees, other pollinators, and native insects.

The northern giant hornet hasn't been detected in three years.

Dec. 19, 2024, 6:45 AM GMT+6

Officials announced Wednesday that the so-called "murder hornets" have been eradicated from the United States, five years after the invasive species was first identified in Washington state. The northern giant hornet, which has not been detected in the U.S. for three years, was officially declared eradicated, according to a joint statement from the Washington and U.S. Agriculture Departments.

The multi-year eradication effort, which began in 2019, involved extensive collaboration among state, federal, and international agencies, as well as significant support from community members and organizations.

"I'm incredibly proud of our team, which has dedicated years of hard work to protecting our state and the nation from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture," said Derek Sandison, Washington's Agriculture Director.

Sven Spichiger, the state’s pest program manager, emphasized the critical role of the public in the eradication effort. "All of our nest detections were directly or indirectly the result of public reports," he said, noting that half of all confirmed hornet sightings came from the public.

Mark Davidson, deputy administrator at the U.S. Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, celebrated the success: "This victory against invasive species shows what’s possible when agencies and communities unite for a common goal."

The northern giant hornet was first detected in British Columbia in August 2019, before being found in Washington state in December of that year. The Washington Agriculture Department eradicated several hornet nests, including one in October 2020 and three more in 2021. Ongoing trapping efforts continued into this year.

The hornets posed a significant threat to honeybees and other pollinators, with the ability to wipe out a hive in just 90 minutes. They are also a danger to humans, as their sting is more harmful than that of a honeybee.

While a suspicious hornet sighting was reported in Kitsap County, Washington, in October, the Washington Agriculture Department was unable to confirm the species or collect the hornet for testing. The department placed traps in the area and is urging the public to report any sightings. Despite not finding further evidence of the hornets in the area, officials will continue monitoring and trapping efforts in 2025.

"We were already on the lookout when they appeared in Washington in 2019," Spichiger said. "Though they're eradicated now, we'll keep an eye out for them and encourage the community to do the same. They managed to get here once, and they could do it again."