Report
Yellow-legged hornet: what beekeepers need to know
Washington State University Extension fact sheet, 402E, Washington State University Extension
07/2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000007493
Abstract
Yellow-legged hornets (YLH; Vespa velutina Lepeletier, previously referred to as “Asian hornets”) are social insects native to Southeast Asia. These hornets prey on many insect species, including the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) and European honey bee (A. mellifera). Even though YLH prey on honey bee colonies, it should not be confused with the northern giant hornet (NGH; Vespa mandarinia) that were found in 2020 and 2021 in Washington State. NGH were declared eradicated from the United States in 2024 by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA 2024). This Extension publication aims to provide an overview of YLH, including current status, biology, tips for identification, and comparison to other species, and urges beekeepers, naturalists, agriculturalists, pest consultants, gardeners, or concerned citizens to report any sightings to the WSDA and Washington State University Bee Program.
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Details
- Title
- Yellow-legged hornet
- Creators
- Briana E. Price (Author)Brandon Kingsley Hopkins (Author) - Washington State University, Department of EntomologyPriyadarshini Chakrabarti (Author) - Washington State University, Department of Entomology
- Academic Unit
- Publications, WSU Extension
- Series
- Washington State University Extension fact sheet; 402E
- Publisher
- Washington State University Extension; Pullman, Washington
- Number of pages
- 7
- Identifiers
- 99901228041001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Report