Officials ask Georgians to keep an eye out for the invasive hornet that eats honeybees

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April 1st, 2026

A yellow-legged hornet pinned and photographed at a profile angle. It has a fuzzy back of its head and thorax with a mostly black abdomen and yellow legs.
A yellow-legged hornet specimen collected in coastal Georgia. (Tim Davis)

Agriculture officials are asking Georgians to keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets. The invasive insects eat honeybees, which are vital for pollinating many crops.

Yellow-legged hornets had never been seen in the U.S. until they were found in the Savannah area in 2023. Since then, federal and state agencies, as well as university researchers have been working to track and eradicate the insects.

Now is around the time that yellow-legged hornet queens start building nests and laying eggs. Later in the year the nests can get huge – as big as watermelons.

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