Inside the hunt to trace Georgia's invasive hornets

Georgia’s insect experts are using some unexpected means to track down the state’s newest winged invader – the yellow-legged hornet. 

For years, insect experts have been warning beekeepers to watch out for invasive species like the yellow-legged hornet, and their vigilance paid off in August when a beekeeper called in the first one ever found in the U.S. Since then, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and partners at the University of Georgia, along with local beekeepers, have found and eradicated two nests. They haven’t found any more yet.

The hornets are a big management concern for the state because they are voracious predators that kill pollinators, including honeybees. In the fall, they’re gearing up to produce queens that will overwinter and start reproducing in the spring. To do that, they need protein.