Seventh Asian giant hornet found in Custer

The first male Asian giant hornet found in the U.S. was discovered in a Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) trap in Custer. The agency trapped the hornet on July 29, but it wasn’t processed by WSDA until August 13.

It’s not the first time the invasive hornet has been detected in Custer since it arrived in North America. A mated queen was found dead in Custer in late May and WSDA suspects a honeybee hive was decimated by the hornet last fall.

WSDA entomologist Sven Spichiger said during an August 17 press conference that the detection of queens earlier in the summer informed the agency where to allocate trapping resources.

“From that stand point, we’re not really feeling the pressure yet,” Spichiger said of not eradicating a nest yet. “But the pressure that we want to take care of [the hornets] before they kick out breeding castes has always been there since day one.”

This is the seventh Asian giant hornet caught in the U.S., all of which were detected in Whatcom County. The last hornet found was trapped July 14 in a WSDA bottle trap in Birch Bay, just north of BP Cherry Point Refinery. Three weeks later the agency confirmed that hornet was an unmated queen.

The agency will now attempt to locate the nest where the male hornet originated. They will hang live bottle traps, which are the same as the other 1,800 traps set by WSDA and the public, but include a wire mesh to separate specimens from the bait.

Once a live hornet is captured, WSDA will fix a radio tag to it and follow it to the nest. The agency will prepare to eradicate the underground nest after it’s located.

WSDA officials estimate about two nests were established last year. Spichiger said that although potentially 400 nests could be established from those two nests, he estimates only a handful survived and settled in the area.

August and September are the months when residents are most likely to see Asian giant hornets, WSDA public engagement specialist Karla Salp said during the press conference.

The Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest hornet, measuring up to 2 inches in length with a large, orange head and black-and-orange striped abdomen. The hornet is thought to have first arrived in North America last fall by shipping trade with Asia, where it originates. The invasive species’ presence in North America is threatening to commercial pollinators and beekeepers, whose hives are at risk of having an entire colony slaughtered by the hornets in hours.

To report an Asian giant hornet sighting, visit bit.ly/34akL4H or call 800/443-6684. Note that WSDA generally cannot confirm a sighting without a photo or specimen. More information on the invasive species can also be found at agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/hornets.