STINGING INSECT GUIDE

Asian giant hornet

Identification, local timing in San Antonio and the Hill Country, risk profile, and exactly how we treat it.

Scientific name: Vespa mandarinia Smith, 1852 Common names: Asian giant hornet, northern giant hornet (the name the ESA prefers now), Japanese giant hornet, "murder hornet" (what the media calls it) Family: Vespidae (subfamily Vespinae) Status in the San Antonio / Boerne corridor: Not present. Never has been. Status in the United States: Officially eradicated. Declared December 18, 2024.

At a glance #

Worker size	35–40 mm (1.4–1.6")
Queen size	Up to 50 mm (2") — the world's largest hornet
Wingspan	About 75 mm (3")
Stinger length	6 mm (1/4")
Color	Distinctive large orange head, dark brown/black thorax, banded brown-and-orange abdomen
Sting	Multiple, no barb, neurotoxic venom — among the most dangerous insect stings in the world
Native range	Temperate and tropical East Asia — Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Russian Far East
US presence	None. Eradicated 2020–2024.

Why this page exists #

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Asian giant hornets took the spotlight. The New York Times featured them in an article that turned these insects into a media sensation. Suddenly, "murder hornets" was on everyone's lips. It’s wild how quickly something can go viral like that.

Five years later, things look a lot different than the panic of 2020 led us to believe. The species has been eradicated from North America. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, no Asian giant hornet has ever been spotted in Texas. Still, we get plenty of calls about "murder hornets in San Antonio."

This page lays out the facts, clears up misunderstandings, and helps customers accurately identify the native Texas species they might mistake for a murder hornet.

The eradication — what actually happened #

Timeline #

August 2019: I remember when three Asian giant hornets were found in Nanaimo, British Columbia. That marked the first records of these pests in North America.

December 2019: The first detection of this insect in the US happened when a homeowner in Whatcom County, Washington, found a large dead bug on their doormat and saw live ones flying off. They shared their find on Reddit, and others suggested they report it to the Washington Invasive Species Council. The council passed the report to state entomologists at the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), who confirmed what it was.

Early 2020: WSDA set up a trapping and reporting system. Then the COVID-19 pandemic made everything much harder. In May 2020, The New York Times ran a feature on the hornets that went viral, igniting the "murder hornet" media frenzy.

October 2020: The first Asian giant hornet nest in the U.S. was found in a hollow alder tree in Whatcom County. They took it down using carbon dioxide sedation and vacuum extraction while wearing sting-proof protective suits. They removed the part of the tree with the nest and took the remaining hornets to a cold facility at Washington State University for further handling.

August–September 2021: We found and eliminated three more nests.

2022: No detections.

2023: No detections.

2024: No detections reported through the end of the year. One community member thought they spotted something unusual in Kitsap County in October 2024, but we couldn't confirm it.

December 18, 2024: The WSDA and USDA announced that they have successfully eradicated the northern giant hornet from Washington state and the entire United States.

Why the eradication succeeded #

The eradication is genuinely a North American conservation success story. Several factors contributed:

• Early detection. Both the Canadian and American sightings were reported by alert citizens within months of their arrival, before these hornets could start breeding.
• Rapid agency response. WSDA jumped into action within weeks of the first sighting.
• Citizen science participation. About half of the confirmed detections came from public reports. The trapping and reporting system engaged thousands of Washington residents during the eradication effort.
• Multi-agency cooperation. WSDA, USDA APHIS, Washington State University, the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, and other groups worked together across borders.
• Innovative removal techniques. Radio telemetry tracked tagged worker hornets back to their nests. Vacuum extraction with CO₂ sedation allowed for the live capture of nest contents for further study.
• Species-specific factors. Asian giant hornets mostly nest in underground cavities, often using old rodent burrows. This localized nesting makes finding their nests easier than with aerial-nesting species.

What remains uncertain #

Even with the eradication announcement, we need to stay alert. These pests might be brought back — the first introductions in 2019 happened through shipping containers or imported larvae for food and traditional medicine. Both of these routes could still be a problem. The Washington State Department of Agriculture is keeping a watchful eye and urges the community to do the same. As Scientific Director Sven Spichiger put it, “They got here once and they could do it again.”

For Texas, this really isn’t something to worry about. If Asian giant hornets show up, it'll likely be in coastal Pacific Northwest port cities, not here. The systems we have in place for monitoring worked well from 2019 to 2024, so any introduction would probably be caught and dealt with quickly.

Why "murder hornet" became the popular name #

The term actually comes from Japan, not the West. Sensationalist Japanese media have called this species satsujin suzumebachi (殺人スズメバチ; which means "murderer sparrow hornet") since at least 2008. They also use the more standard name ōsuzumebachi ("giant sparrow bee/hornet").

The Asian giant hornet is a real threat when it comes to public health in its home turf. In Japan, these hornets are linked to about 30–50 deaths each year due to severe reactions from their stings and the potential for venom to cause multi-organ failure. According to Penn State Extension, back in 2013, from July to September, hornet stings—mostly from V. mandarinia—led to 42 recorded fatalities in China.

This venom is no joke. The sting hurts, but it also packs a punch with a mix of mastoparans that can cause serious reactions, even in folks who aren't allergic. If you get stung multiple times, it can lead to kidney damage, organ failure, or worse. In extreme cases, dialysis might be necessary to clear the toxins from your blood.

When V. mandarinia showed up in North America in 2019, its Japanese nickname "murder hornet" made the jump to English. A New York Times article really pushed that term into the spotlight worldwide.

In 2022, the Entomological Society of America decided to officially use the term "northern giant hornet" for V. mandarinia. They wanted to steer clear of sensational names and also to help reduce any negative associations tied to anti-Asian sentiment that popped up during the 2020 media frenzy.

Identification — for completeness #

If you come across a real V. mandarinia in 2026, brace yourself. These wasps are huge—larger than nearly any other wasp you’ll find in North America. Here are the key features to look for:

• Massive size. Workers measure 35–40 mm (1.4–1.6"), while queens can reach up to 50 mm (2"). Their wingspan is about 3 inches.
• Disproportionately large orange-red head, which stands out as much larger and more orange than the heads of any native North American wasps.
• Huge mandibles that are easy to spot from a distance.
• Brown-and-orange banded abdomen — this pattern is quite different from the black-and-yellow stripes of most American wasps.
• 6 mm (1/4") stinger that’s big enough to get through standard beekeeper protective suits.

The size is the best way to identify Asian giant hornets. They’re much larger than any common American wasp. If you spot a wasp that looks about 2 inches long with a bright orange head, take a clear photo, keep your distance, and report it. In Texas, contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service or the Texas Department of Agriculture.

What you actually saw — Texas look-alike species #

Every "murder hornet" sighting in Texas has turned out to be a mistake, including all the buzz from 2020. What you likely saw were these actual species:

Cicada killer wasp (*Sphecius speciosus*) — the #1 candidate #

You’ll see this 95% of the time. Check out guide 10 for all the details.

• 1.5–2 inches long, big enough to catch anyone's eye.
• Black abdomen marked with three yellow bands.
• Rusty red head and thorax, a bit like the AGH's coloring.
• Active from July through August—that's peak murder hornet panic season.
• Males hover at face height for territorial displays. They might look aggressive, but they can't sting.
• Females can sting but are mostly non-defensive.

Eastern carpenter bee (*Xylocopa virginica*) #

• Big, fuzzy, with a yellow thorax.
• Often confused with bumble bees, but their abdomen is shiny and hairless.
• Males display aggression but can’t sting.
• Common in spring; they nest in wood.

Tarantula hawk wasp (*Pepsis* spp.) #

• Genuinely large, reaching 1.5–2 inches in length.
• Distinctive iridescent blue-black body with striking orange wings.
• Sting rated 4 on the Schmidt Index, which is the highest possible, but I’ve found it’s extremely rare to encounter them.
• Solitary and non-defensive, so they usually won't bother you unless provoked.

Mature queen yellowjacket or paper wasp #

• In early spring, you'll notice that newly emerged queens are much larger than the worker bees you usually see.
• They make a brief appearance when they're starting to build nests.
• Many folks mistake them for "giant hornets" due to their surprising size.

Eastern bumble bee queen #

• In early spring, foundress bumble bee queens are much bigger than the workers.
• They’re black-and-yellow and fuzzy.
• This often leads to "giant hornet" calls in March and April.

What about Texas at all? — the climate suitability question #

Distribution modeling from Washington State University in 2020 showed that **much of Western Washington and a good chunk of North America** could be suitable habitat for *Vespa mandarinia*. This includes, theoretically, parts of Texas.

One real worry during the 2020 introduction event was whether the species had taken root and spread. Climate conditions across North America seemed just right for it. Areas like the Pacific Northwest coastal forests, Eastern deciduous forests, and some parts of the South match the climate and habitat profiles of this species' home in East Asia.

However, just because the climate seems right doesn’t mean a species is actually there. This species has never been found in Texas. With its eradication in Washington, it’s officially gone from all of North America. So, what might look like a suitable environment doesn't mean the species is actually present.

For Texas, even if V. mandarinia were to pop up again in the Pacific Northwest, it would take years for them to spread to Texas. If they do start moving east, you can bet we’d catch wind of it well before they get here. So, the worries about murder hornets in Texas? Not really something to stress over anytime soon.

Risk to humans and pets in our service area #

Zero. The species is not present.

The risk to honey bees in our area from "murder hornets" is nonexistent. According to University of Minnesota Extension, honey bee colonies in Texas deal with real problems like Africanized honey bee genetics, varroa mites, small hive beetles, pesticide exposure, colony collapse disorder, and hive raiding by other native species. But Vespa mandarinia isn't one of them.

Treatment approach #

If we ever find a confirmed Asian giant hornet in our area, treating it isn't just another pest control job. Here's what we would do:

• We notify Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Texas Department of Agriculture right away.
• The USDA APHIS probably gets involved because of the importance to agriculture.
• Trained agency staff would handle the removal using protocols from the WSDA's 2020–2021 eradications, like CO₂ sedation, vacuum extraction, and sting-proof gear.
• The location would be monitored continuously for any additional pests.

This isn’t pest control work; it’s agricultural quarantine response.

When customers tell me, "I saw a murder hornet," the first step is identifying the actual species present. I’ve found that photographs can be really helpful. With a clear picture, we can determine the species and give you the right treatment options for whatever native species is causing the issue.

Odd, funny, and genuinely true #

• The "murder hornet" name predates the 2020 media cycle by over a decade. Japanese sensational media had been using satsujin suzumebachi ("murderer sparrow hornet") since at least 2008. The English translation simply caught up to the Japanese usage when the species arrived in North America.
• The first US detection in 2019 was reported via Reddit. A homeowner in Whatcom County found a dead specimen on their doormat, posted it to Reddit asking for identification, and Reddit users told her to report it to the Washington Invasive Species Council. This is genuinely how one of the most consequential invasive species detections of the 21st century was initiated.
• The species has existed since the Miocene epoch — fossils from the Shanwang Formation in China date the species back roughly 15 million years. V. mandarinia was attacking other insects when proto-hominids were just beginning to evolve.
• In Korea, the species is called 장수말벌 (Jaŋsumalbôl), meaning "general giant wasp" or "general hornet."
• In Taiwan, the name translates as "giant tiger head bee" — referring both to its size and the orange face that resembles a tiger's coloration.
• The hornets can decimate a honey bee colony in 90 minutes. Once they enter "slaughter phase" against a hive, a few hornets can decapitate the entire bee population using their large mandibles. The bees are killed, the hornets then occupy the hive and steal the larvae as food for their own brood.
• Asian honey bees evolved a counter-defense. When V. mandarinia scouts attempt to attack an Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) hive, the bees swarm the scout and form a "bee ball" around her, vibrating their flight muscles to raise the internal temperature to about 47°C — hot enough to kill the hornet but not the bees. European honey bees (Apis mellifera) — the species used in North American beekeeping — do not have this defense, which is part of why the 2020 invasion was such a serious concern for Pacific Northwest apiaries.
• Asian giant hornets nest underground. Of 56 documented nests in one study, only 9 were above ground. The species almost exclusively co-opts pre-existing tunnels dug by rodents, or uses cavities near rotten pine roots. This subterranean habit made eradication tractable — nests are localized and detection by trained crews using radio telemetry was feasible.
• The 2020 Washington State eradication was complicated by COVID-19. The pandemic disrupted normal agency operations, complicated travel and equipment availability, and overlapped with the period when public attention to "murder hornets" was at peak intensity. WSDA staff worked under unusual conditions during the initial eradication period.
• The first US nest contained approximately 500 specimens when extracted in October 2020 — a relatively young, small colony. If left undetected for another year, it could have produced many new queens that would have established multiple colonies the following season. Early detection genuinely prevented North American establishment.
• DNA analysis of the 2019 detections suggested two separate introductions from different countries of origin — meaning the British Columbia and Washington discoveries were not from a single event. This was a striking finding because it implies that whatever pathway brought the hornets to North America in 2019 was operating multiple times in parallel.
• Distribution modeling shows much of North America could host the species. The 2020 Washington State University analysis suggested suitable habitat from the Pacific Northwest across the northern US, into the Great Lakes region, and across much of the South. Texas habitat suitability is included in this modeling. The species is not here, but the climate would not, in theory, exclude it.

Common questions customers ask #

• No, murder hornets aren't in Texas. Those are Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia), and they haven't been spotted here.
• The murder hornet is still in the United States, but so far, they’re mostly in the Pacific Northwest.
• There was a lot of hype about murder hornets, but they haven't taken over like some feared. They remain a concern but aren't widespread.
• The Asian giant hornet is larger than the European hornet (Vespa crabro). The Asian giant can grow up to 2 inches long, while the European hornet tops out at about 1.5 inches.
• If you saw a giant hornet in San Antonio, it could be a European hornet or another species. We get calls about that all the time.
• The Asian giant hornet hasn't been completely eradicated, but efforts are ongoing to keep it from spreading.
• Yes, murder hornets are dangerous to bees, particularly honeybees. They can wipe out hives in a matter of hours.
• A murder hornet looks like a big, yellow and black wasp. They have a distinctive large size and a loud buzz.

We pulled information from several reliable sources for this guide, including the Washington State Department of Agriculture's December 18, 2024, announcement on eradication. The USDA APHIS also reported in December 2024 on their success with the Asian giant hornet. Other sources include the Wikipedia page for the Asian giant hornet, the Invasive Species Council's summary, and documentation from HistoryLink.org on the 2020–2024 eradication efforts. I also looked at the Smith-Pardo et al. 2020 paper on Vespa diversity in the United States, the National Invasive Species Information Center's species profile, and distribution modeling from Washington State University in 2020. Lastly, I referenced the Entomological Society of America's 2022 documentation on common name changes.

Frequently asked questions #

How can I identify an Asian Giant Hornet? #

Asian Giant Hornets are quite large, typically about 2 inches long, with distinctive orange and black markings. They have a large, rounded head with prominent eyes and a yellow-orange face. If you see a hornet of this size with these colors, it's important to stay at a safe distance.

What is the behavior of Asian Giant Hornets in San Antonio? #

In San Antonio, Asian Giant Hornets are generally more active from late spring through early fall. They can be quite aggressive if their nest is disturbed, especially during the fall when they are protecting their young. It's best to avoid any nests you may encounter.

What risks do Asian Giant Hornets pose to residents? #

While their sting can be painful and potentially dangerous, especially for those allergic to stings, fatalities are rare. However, they can attack in groups if provoked, leading to multiple stings. It's crucial to treat any encounters with caution.

When is the best time to treat for Asian Giant Hornets? #

The best time to treat for Asian Giant Hornets is in late spring or early summer, before their populations peak. If you suspect a nest, it's advisable to act quickly, as the numbers can increase dramatically as the season progresses.

How does Pest Trappers handle Asian Giant Hornet treatments? #

At Pest Trappers, we assess the situation before deciding on the best treatment approach, which may involve targeted insecticides or professional removal. We prioritize safety for both our team and your family. Costs can vary based on the nest's location and size, but we provide transparent pricing before any work begins.

Last reviewed April 25, 2026 by Travis Lambert (Owner).