05/13/2026
Honey Bee Killing Hornet Found in Vancouver, WA, WSDA asks for publics help to identify suspected nests
This invasive yellow-legged hornet was discovered on a vessel at the Port of Vancouver by a Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) grain inspector during a routine inspection of a ship on April 30, 2026 a WSDA news release stated.
The inspector photographed the hornet before it was destroyed and discarded, but the photo was sent to the WSDA Pest Program for review. WSDA entomologists agreed it appeared to be a yellow-legged hornet.
May 1, 2026 when WSDA Pest Program and US Customs and Border Protection staff inspected the ship and the surrounding area for evidence of hornets. No additional hornet evidence was found. WSDA stated that they have placed traps in the area as a precaution
The yellow-legged hornet is highly invasive. The WSDA stated in a news release that it has spread rapidly through Europe, where it has caused a 30% reduction in honey bee hives and honey production. It was introduced to Georgia near the Port of Savannah in 2023 and has since spread to nearby South Carolina. Both states are currently undergoing eradication efforts.
Unlike the northern giant hornet, which tends to nest in tree cavities or in the ground, yellow-legged hornets usually build nests surrounded by a paper-like covering in tree branches or other outdoor areas. These nests can be extremely large, with up to 6,000 worker hornets.
WSDA is encouraging Vancouver-area residents to photograph suspected hornets and, if it can be done safely, collect and freeze the specimen before reporting it to the agency.
Sightings can be reported online at the WSDA Hornet Reporting Page: agr.wa.gov/hornets, or by email at [email protected].
“We are hopeful that this was a one-off interception, which occasionally happens at our ports,” said Sven Spichiger, WSDA Pest Program manager, in the release. “But given the serious nature of this hornet and its potential impact to honey bees, we are asking for extra vigilance from people in the Vancouver area. The public was critical to our ability to eradicate the northern giant hornet, and they will be just as important in responding to this introduction if there are more hornets in the area.”
Pictured:
• An invasive yellow-legged hornet was discovered on a grain ship in the Port of Vancouver on April 30. Now, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Pest Program is asking residents in the greater Vancouver area to watch for and report possible sightings of the species.
• A side-by-side comparison of a native bald-faced hornet, left, and the invasive yellow-legged hornet, which has the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Pest Program asking residents in the greater Vancouver area to watch for and report possible sightings of the species after it was discovered on a grain ship at the Port of Vancouver.
(Source: WSDA)
