The Asian giant hornet (AGH) is in the news again. This time, following the discovery of its first nest in the United States, (hidden) in a tree’s cavity in Washington State. The agency responsible for monitoring AGH says plans are underway to destroy the nest.

Asian giant hornet decapitates honeybees and other insects, giving them the name ‘murder hornet.’ Their presence can have detrimental ecosystem consequences.

Before its first sighting in Washington State in the Fall of 2019, there was no report of the invasive Asian giant hornet ever present in North America. So far, there has not been any report of the AGH in Florida.

So, if you have seen something that looks like this hornet species or unsure about what you saw, please reach out to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) for help with identification.

The Featured image is credited to Washington State Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org (# 5597687).

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