New invasive hornet flies into Northwest
Rogue Valley Times • • science
Key Points:
- The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) poses a greater threat to Northwest agriculture than the northern giant hornet due to its mobility, larger nests, and ability to thrive in diverse climates across the U.S. and Western Europe.
- First detected in southern France in 2004, the yellow-legged hornet has spread across Europe and was found in the U.S. in 2023, with over 100 nests discovered in South Carolina, indicating rapid expansion.
- Unlike Asian honeybees that can defend themselves with heat balls, European honeybees lack such defenses, making them vulnerable to yellow-legged hornet attacks, which cause significant economic damage to beekeeping industries.
- Washington State authorities recently found a live yellow-legged hornet at the Port of Vancouver, prompting increased monitoring, though no further sightings have been reported yet.
- Experts emphasize the hornet’s prolific reproduction and dispersal abilities, warning that it could establish coast-to-coast populations in the U.S., posing a serious threat to honeybee populations and agriculture.