The N.C. Department of Agriculture is asking people to be on the lookout for the early-stage nests of the Yellow-legged hornet. While the invasive hornet species has not been found in North Carolina, it has been collected in Georgia and South Carolina.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said it’s no more harmful to humans than other hornets, but it can have a devastating impact on both managed and wild bees, especially honeybees.
The hornet builds egg-shaped paper nests above ground and often in trees. Mature nests can be large and house an average of 6,000 workers.
The nests are the brownish color of a paper bag and are relatively small, ranging between the size of a ping-pong ball and a tennis ball.
Anyone who finds a suspected nest or hornet should report their findings along with photos to https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/plant-industry/yellow-legged-hornet-reporting.
Suspect nests should be left undisturbed to allow for proper disposal by inspectors.
