Source: NCDA&CS, 5/13/22

The sun is shining and the bees are buzzing – but not the Asian Giant Hornets.

As the weather gets warmer and insects like bees and wasps become more active, NCDA&CS has seen an uptick in calls from people who believe they have seen an Asian Giant Hornet, colloquially known as the “murder hornet,” near their homes. Despite the insect’s frightening (and overdramatic) nickname, North Carolinians can rest assured that the insect has not come to the state and likely never will.

Native to several parts of Asia, the hornets were discovered in the Pacific Northwest in 2019 and 2020. However, they have been well-contained and have never come anywhere close to reaching North Carolina or anywhere on the East Coast.

“After two years of extensive survey and thousands of citizen reports, we are quite confident that Asian Giant Hornet has not made its way to North Carolina,” said Joy Goforth, NCDA&CS Plant Pest Administrator. “The Washington State Department of Agriculture has also done an excellent job of locating infestations and responding quickly. They have placed 1,800 traps throughout Oregon and still have found hives only in Whatcom County, WA, and they have successfully eliminated every one that they have found.”

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