VANCOUVER Wash. (KPTV) – Washington state is asking people to watch for a highly invasive hornet after one was spotted at the Port of Vancouver.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture said a yellow-legged hornet was found on a vessel at the port on April 30.
The hornet is named for its legs, which are yellow on the lower half. The fourth segment on the abdomen is also yellow-orange.
Yellow-legged hornet found at Port of Vancouver in Washington(Washington State Department of Agriculture)
The yellow-legged hornet is smaller than the northern giant hornet, which was found in the state in 2019 and was eradicated in 2024.
The department said the yellow-legged hornet is around an inch long. The queen is slightly larger.
The hornets usually build nests surrounded with a paper-like covering in tree branches or other outdoor areas. The nests can be very large and have up to 6,000 hornets.
The state said the hornets have rapidly spread through Europe, destroying honey bee hives. They have also been found in Georgia and South Carolina.
People who see what they think is a yellow-legged hornet should take a photo. If it is safe, they should try to collect one and put it in the freezer.
Sightings should be reported to the WSDA.
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