The presence of an invasive hornet species has been confirmed in North Carolina for the first time.
The yellow-legged hornet, which is native to Southeast Asia, first appeared in South Carolina in late 2023, according to reports from the Wilmington Star News, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. The invasive species can prove problematic due to its tendency to attack honeybees, which are important pollinators of many crops and flowers throughout the Southeastern U.S.
Despite its Asian heritage, yellow-legged hornets are not the same species as Vespa mandarinia, the Asian giant hornet often nicknamed the "murder hornet."
Here's what we know about confirmed reports of the yellow-legged hornet in North Carolina.
What is a yellow-legged hornet? What do yellow-legged hornets look like?
Vespa velutina, known commonly as
yellow-legged hornets, are a species of hornets smaller than most hornets native to the southeastern U.S.
The U.S. Department of Agriculturedescribes the species as having a mostly black head with some front-facing yellow or orange coloring and black eyes. Its thorax is mostly solid dark brown or black, its abdomen has alternating bands of dark brown or black and yellow or orange, and as the common name implies, its legs end in yellow segments.
Do yellow-legged hornets live in North Carolina? Asheville?
Yellow-legged hornets have been confirmed in North Carolina, but not in the western region of the state. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed on Tuesday, July 28, that yellow-legged hornets were found in NC for the first time in Matthews, a suburb of Charlotte.
As reported by the Wilmington Star News, the adult hornets were first reported by a nearby homeowner in Union County who noticed strange hornet activity around her hummingbird feeder. A follow-up survey found more hornets in the area.
"This aggressive pest of honeybees and other pollinators had been previously localized near Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, until a population was identified last December in York County, South Carolina, just south of the Charlotte metropolitan area,” said Dr. Bill Foote, director of the agency's plant industry division, in a news release. "This detection prompted us to ramp up surveillance this year in southern Union and Mecklenburg counties.
What happens if a yellow-legged hornet stings you?
Buglife.org explains that, while yellow-legged hornets can become aggressive if their nest is disturbed, the species' sting is comparable to that of other hornet species, with pain that generally subsides after a few hours. As in the case of other wasp species, its sting may be dangerous to those who are allergic to other insect stings.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Yellow-legged hornets confirmed in NC for first time. Are they in Western NC
