Do I Have Murder Hornets?

— Written By and last updated by
en Español / em Português
Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.


Português

Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.

Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.


English

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Collapse ▲

When the Asian giant hornet gained media attention last year, we started getting calls from people who feared that they may have the “murder hornets” media was talking about. After a couple of months, those calls became less frequent. The last couple of weeks we have had multiple phone calls about the “murder hornets” again. This week I would like to take the time to revisit these questions so that homeowners can accurately ID what hornet/wasp they are experiencing.

Q: How do you know Asian giant hornets aren’t found in North Carolina?

 A: As of now, they have only been confirmed in the Pacific Northwest. This insect has never been spotted outside of Washington State or southwestern Canada. Previously established colonies and individuals, in those areas, have been eradicated.

Q: I have these huge, aggressive hornets. If they aren’t “murder hornets,” what are they?

A: There are two types of hornets that can be confused with the Asian giant hornet because of their size.

One type is the European hornet. This hornet can get up to 1.5 inches long and can be aggressive. European hornets are brown with wide yellow markings with a reddish-brown head. Their stripes have dot-like accents. They rarely build nests that are free hanging or in unprotected areas. Frequently, the nest is built at the cavity opening, rather than deep within. The outside of the exposed nest will be covered with coarse, thick, tan, paper-like material.

Asian_vs_European.png- European hornets (featured on the right) are brown with wide yellow markings with a reddish-brown head. Asian Hornets (featured on the left) have large, yellow heads with small eyes. Their stripes are even without the dot-like accents.

Asian_vs_European.png- European hornets (featured on the right) are brown with wide yellow markings with a reddish-brown head. Asian Hornets (featured on the left) have large, yellow heads with small eyes. Their stripes are even without the dot-like accents.

The other hornet you could be confusing Asian giant hornets with is the cicada killer, which is actually a wasp (technically, all hornets are wasps, but we won’t get into all that). You can ID these by its black abdomen with three complex, yellow bands. The head and thorax are rust colored to dark brown, and the wings a transparent russet. They can reach up to 1.5 inches long, as well. Unlike the European hornet, the cicada killer wasps are non-aggressive towards humans.

Asian_vs_Cicada.png- Cicada killers (featured on the right) can be identified by their black abdomen with three complex, yellow bands. The head and thorax are rust colored to dark brown.

Asian_vs_Cicada.png- Cicada killers (featured on the right) can be identified by their black abdomen with three complex, yellow bands. The head and thorax are rust colored to dark brown.

Q: I found these huge hornets around my hummingbird feeder; how do I get rid of them?

A: Most likely these “huge hornets” are either the European hornet or cicada killer wasp. Like hummingbirds, bees, hornets, wasps, etc. will be attracted to sugar water. To combat this, you can do a couple of things. One option you can try is a bee guard that attaches to your feeder. The other option is using Vicks vapor rub (or something similar) and putting it where you see the hornets land on your feeder.

Q: How do I control the European hornet and the cicada killer wasp?

A: Control of these two can vary.

European hornets will not survive the winter, so if they aren’t invading your house, control may not be necessary. If these hornets are an issue, control is best achieved by applying a pesticide directly into the nest at dusk. Use any aerosol “Wasp & Hornet” spray that propels the insecticide about 10-15 feet.

Cicada killer control is rarely necessary. Males are unable to sting, and females are unlikely to do so.

The best way to be sure you aren’t dealing with Asian giant hornets is by correctly identifying what you are seeing. Asian giant hornets have large, yellow heads with small eyes. Their stripes are even without the dot-like accents. If you are still unsure, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Caldwell County Center at 828-757-1290 for help with a positive ID. NC State Extension also has excellent publications related to this topic. Find those on our website.