Murder hornets are not coming to kill you. At least, not yet. We’ve got the facts from the Ohio Department of Agriculture about the big bugs with the scary names.
What Is A Murder Hornet?
The actual name of the Murder Hornet is the Asian Giant Hornet. Its scientific name is Vespa mandarinia. Murder Hornets are the largest hornets in the world. They can be up to 2″ long with a wingspan up to 3″.
Besides being gigantic, you can spot them by their huge orangish-yellow heads and the orangish-yellow and reddish-brown stripes on the body. You can tell them apart from big bees like bumble bees because they have little or no hair.
These big bugs live in large underground colonies just like European Hornets and Eastern Cicada Killer Wasps.
Are They In Ohio?
Murder Hornets come from tropical parts of Asia and the Russian Far East. They are considered an invasive species in North America. They are considered an invasive species.
The hornet was first spotted in North America back in September of last year in Vancouver and then again in Washington state in December. There have been no other confirmed sightings in the U.S. So, no murder hornets in Ohio.
Are Murder Hornets Dangerous?
That depends? Are you a bee? Murder Hornets kill bees, most especially honey bees.
They are not known to be aggressive towards humans, pets, or large animals unless you come near their nests. They kill other insects.
Just a few hornets can wipe out an entire colony of honey bees in hours. They bite off the heads of the adult bees and then eat all of the little bees. If you see a pile of dead honey bees outside a hive, that can indicate a Murder Hornet attack.
What If I See One?
If you think you see a Murder Hornet in Ohio, you should contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture. You don’t need to capture or kill an insect to report a sighting. Just take a picture of the insect and any damage associated with it.
- Click the following link to use the Ohio Asian Giant Hornet Reporting Tool
- Email plantpest@agri.ohio.gov
- If reporting by email, please include the following information:
- Your name and contact information
- The location of the sighting/attack
- Date of sighting/attack
- Photograph of the hornet or damage (required)
- Description of the hive loss/damage
- If reporting by email, please include the following information: