Yellow-legged hornets seen in Georgia may threaten Alabama’s honeybees

Beekeepers in Alabama should be aware of a new flying foe recently discovered in the Southeast. The yellow-legged hornet, Vespa veluntina, has been confirmed in Georgia.

Alabama Cooperative Extension System experts say this invasive species may pose a threat to the region’s honeybee population.

About Yellow-Legged Hornets

Most Americans are not familiar with the yellow-legged hornet, since it is a non-native species to the United States. The Georgia Department of Agriculture, along with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, recently confirmed the species near Savannah, Georgia.

These hornets are native to the southeastern regions of Asia and are known for their relentless appetite–specifically feeding on other insects. The yellow-legged hornet is not as large as the infamous northern giant hornet that made national headlines in 2021. However, they are just as deadly to their prey.

“This species is not established, but it does pose just as much threat as the murder hornets people heard about a couple years ago,” said Katelyn Kesheimer, an Alabama Extension entomologist. “The main threat of the yellow-legged hornet pertains to the honey bee industry in our region.”

Yellow-legged hornets are natural predators that can wipe out colonies by focusing on their concentrated source of food until it is entirely consumed. They live communally and have the same life cycle as native hornets and wasps. Female hornets will overwinter and emerge in spring. Colonies can grow large by summer and have the potential to contain thousands of hornets.

“Its legs are distinctively yellow,” Kesheimer said. “Their size and yellow legs are the best identifiers of this hornet.”

Wolves of the Air

Backyard beekeeping is a popular hobby and business for many Alabama residents. Alabama Extension Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resources Regional Agent Jack Rowe said the introduction of yellow-legged hornets should not be taken lightly for beekeepers.

“Like other hornets, they hunt and kill other insects — and occasionally carrion — but their large, coordinated populations make them a serious pest of honey bee colonies,” Rowe said. “After finding an apiary, the yellow-legged hornet colony focuses on this source of meat and quickly decimates the honey bees to feed their young. They are the wolves of the air.”

Yellow-legged hornets have unique nests comparable to traditional baldfaced hornets. They behave similarly to Alabama’s native hornets by their hunting habits and ability to create oval-shaped paper nests. Rowe said regular hornet nests have circular openings near the bottom. These non-native cousins have slot-like openings in the same area.

Alabamians may be familiar with other lookalikes to the yellow-legged hornets. The cicada killer wasp, eastern yellow jacket and baldfaced hornet are some of the imposters of this invasive species.

Keep Calm and Beeware

There is no reason to sound the alarm and stock up on bug spray just because of this first discovery of the yellow-legged hornet. At the time of this publication, there are no confirmed colonies of this species. However, Alabamians should be on the lookout because of the occurrence’s proximity. Rowe said this precaution especially applies to the beekeeping community.

“Beekeepers should definitely keep a sharp eye on their apiaries,” he said. “Yellow-legged hornets are not the only species to monitor. Native wasps and hornets could also attack bees, especially in stressed conditions such as intense heat.”

Kesheimer said this insect, just like other hornet species, can sting humans and pets. It is likely that the pain level is no different than a typical hornet sting. Those with anaphylactic allergies should treat a yellow-legged hornet strike as if it were a wasp or other hornet and take all necessary precautions.

Contact Extension

The best defense against invasive species is education and identification. To help properly identify suspected species, a sample should be photographed or submitted to local Extension offices. Experts will subsequently study the photos and samples to positively identify the species.

Do fellow beekeepers a favor and keep watch for the yellow-legged hornet. For more information on this invasive species, read Yellow-Legged Hornets in the Southeast on the Alabama Extension website, www.aces.edu