Yellow-legged hornet nest discovered in South Carolina – harmful to bees
Bees threatened by invasive yellow-legged hornets
State agriculture officials said they have taken a major step forward in the fight against the invasive yellow-legged hornet.
Fox – 5 Atlanta, Video Elephant
A search and destroy mission is currently underway for the yellow-legged hornet, an insect that is highly prized in Clemson University’s Department of Plant Industries.
The operation came after a Beaufort County man captured on video “hawk behavior,” a term he used to describe the hornets attacking his honey bees. He then alerted DPI, which discovered and destroyed the hornet nests in the trees.
“We found an embryo nest in April, but these are the first secondary nests we have found in South Carolina. We urge people in the Lowcountry, especially in the Bluffton and Hilton Head Island areas, to stay vigilant and report any suspicious nests or hornets to us immediately. This is our best chance to control this potentially devastating pest,” said Steven Long, deputy director of the Clemson DPI.
Clemson notified the public of the incident, which occurred near Hilton Head Island on August 16, and continues to search for additional nests in Beaufort and Jasper counties. Homeowners in the area are asked to enter their property by Clemson inspectors before searching for nests. Inspectors can be identified by badges, shirts with the Clemson DPI logo, and safety vests.
Here you can find out everything you need to know about the yellow-legged hornet.
Why kill yellow-legged hornets?
The exotic yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) is a predatory insect that feeds on social bees, wasps and western honey bees and is native to Southeast Asia. According to Clemson University, the hornet spread rapidly across Western Europe in 2004 when it was first introduced in France. Beekeepers have reported colony losses due to the hornet’s predatory behavior. Clemson stated, “The establishment of this exotic pest in the United States poses a significant threat to our already struggling beekeeping enterprises.”
Secondary nests can become “as long as a car engine”
Above ground, hornets build several egg-shaped nests in trees throughout the year. The more they reproduce, the more nests they build, a fact that sets them apart from other nest-building insects. A fully grown nest can house an average of up to 6,000 workers.
According to Clemson, “The queen starts with a small embryo nest for herself and a few workers. As the workers outgrow this nest, the queen moves to another area protected from the weather, where the workers build a ‘primary nest’ that may be about the size of a basketball. In the middle of the year, she moves again to a ‘secondary nest’ – her last nest of the year, where she wants to maximize reproductive numbers.”
Even if a primary nest seems large to you, a secondary nest can be as long as a car engine.
When were yellow-legged hornets first discovered in South Carolina?
The first encounter with a yellow-legged hornet in South Carolina occurred on November 9, 2023, after DPI’s Apiary Inspection Program collaborated with the Clemson Cooperative Extension Apiculture and Pollinator Program to develop an early warning system to track the insect. On March 14, a yellow-legged hornet queen was captured using the system’s proactive capture protocol. The first abandoned embryo nest was found in April 2024, and in August the first secondary nests were found and removed. Secondary nests can be found in the Southeast from August through November.
Which insects are the yellow-legged hornets confused with?
The yellow-legged hornet is often confused with native insects such as the cicada killer wasp, bald-faced hornet, northern giant hornet, paper wasp, queen wasp, wood wasp, queen yellowjacket, and robber fly. The hornet differs from these insects in its larger size.
What do I do if I find a yellow-legged hornet nest?
If you come across a yellow-legged hornet nest, you can report your findings here and attach photos. It is recommended that you leave the nest alone so that field inspectors can dispose of it properly.
Nina Tran covers current affairs for The Greenville News. You can reach her by email at [email protected].
