BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Officials from the Clemson University of Plant Industry successfully conducted a search and destroy mission against a yellow-legged hornet nest near Hilton Head Island.

The destruction of the nest, which included a trapping system and monitoring by agency personnel, came after a beekeeper in Beaufort County captured video of the hornets attacking honey bees in a demonstration of what researchers call “hawk behavior.”

“We urge people in the Lowcountry, especially in the Bluffton and Hilton Head Island areas, to remain vigilant and report any suspicious nests or hornets to us immediately,” said Steven Long, assistant director of Clemson’s Plant Industry Division. “This is our best chance to control this potentially devastating pest.”

Yellow-legged hornets differ from many other nest-building insects in that they build multiple nests throughout the year as their numbers increase.

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While the yellow-legged hornet – not to be confused with the northern giant hornet – is no more harmful to humans than other hornets, it can have devastating effects on both domestic and wild bees.

The yellow-legged hornet is native to Southeast Asia and has settled in most parts of Europe and the Middle East.

The first known sighting of the hornet in South Carolina occurred on November 9, 2023.

The destruction of the secondary nests is another step in the fight against the hornet, which involved the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge and Hilton Head Exterminators.

Anyone who finds a suspicious nest should report their discovery on Clemson’s website. Clemson officials ask that photos be included. Officials also stress that the nest should be left alone so that it can be properly disposed of by field inspectors.