When murder hornets touched down in Washington in late 2019, the invasive species—known for decimating honeybee colonies and its potent sting—seemed a harbinger of doom, but five years later, officials have announced its eradication.
The northern giant hornet, popularly dubbed the "murder hornet," has been absent for three consecutive years, happy news confirmed by The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) on Wednesday, BBC reported.
The hornets, native to Asia, can obliterate an entire bee colony within hours, posing a grave threat to pollination-dependent agriculture. Though attacks on humans remain rare, northern giant hornets are responsible for 50 to 75 deaths annually worldwide.
The WSDA attributed the eradication to a robust public reporting system and intensive trapping efforts. Following the first confirmed sighting in December 2019, the agency tracked and destroyed four nests, including one in 2023 that contained nearly 1,500 hornets at various stages of development.
"We are proud of this landmark victory in the fight against invasive species," Mark Davidson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, hailing the achievement. However, experts caution that the battle may not be over.
"They got here once, and they could do it again," warned Sven Spichiger, a pest specialist with the WSDA. An unconfirmed civilian sighting was reported as recently as Oct. 2024.
Officials plan to continue monitoring for potential reintroductions and have committed to placing traps in areas of concern.
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