WORTHAM VILLAGES
Volume 20, Issue 6 • Wortham Village Voice • June 2020
Asian Giant Hornets
What headline can draw people away from thoughts of the current Service are identifying any items of concern for our clientele. state of the world and Coronavirus? That would be MURDER Some insects that may be confused with AGH to the untrained eye: HORNETS! I cannot think of a more sensationalized headline, Paper wasps are reddish brown in color & sometimes have yellow so kudos to whomever came up with that attention grabber. This markings on their bodies and are ½-1 inches in length. Paper wasps headline is popping up everywhere from social make paper-like nests out of chewed wood fiber media outlets, television, newspapers, and others. that have open cells and hang from a single stalk. Quite frankly, it makes me cringe each time I see it. Yellowjackets are yellow & black in color and Asian giant hornets (AGH) are Vespa mandarinia are ½ in length. Bald-faced hornets are a type of Paper wasps on paper nest. NOT "murder" hornets. If you want to use a yellowjacket. These wasps also make a paper-like common name instead of the scientific name, nest, but it is enclosed with a single opening. then call them by the correct common name of Cicada killer wasps have a reddish head and Yellowjackets are yellow & black in color and are ½ with in length. Bald-faced hornets are a type of Asian giant hornet. thorax an abdomen that alternates with yellow yellowjacket. These wasps also make a paper-like nest, but it is enclosed with a single Asian giant hornets are large, around 2 inches and black markings. These wasps reach 1 ½ inchesopening in length, with an orangish head, brown antennae in length. Cicada killers burrow into the ground, so (the base of the antennae are yellow-orange), you may see holes left behindthat fromalternates their digging.with Cicada killer wasps have a reddish head and thorax with an abdomen brown to black eyes and ocelli (simple, dot-like FACTS about Asian giant hornets in North yellow and black markings. These wasps reach 1 ½ inches in length. Cicada killers burrow into eyes located between the compound eyes). Their America the ground, so you may see holes left behind from their digging. 1. A colony was found late last year (September thorax is dark brown with greyish wings and the 2019) in Nanaimo, British Columbia on Vancouver abdomen has alternating bands of brownish-black Island. The colony was located and destroyed. and yellow-orange. 2. A sighting and dead specimen was found in Papera wasps on paper nest. Asian giant hornets are capable of inflicting Washington state in December 2019 in Blaine, WA. painful sting. Please note that while the sting can This was the first reported sighting of the Asian lead to death in some cases, it is not what typically giant hornet in the U.S. happens. People are also capable of receiving Yellowjackets are yellow & black in color3.and ½ in length. hornets are It isare currently unknownBald-faced how the hornets painful stings from insects already here in Texas the U.S. and but genetic leads to the a single yellowjacket. These wasps also make aentered paper-like nest, it istesting enclosed with such as honey bees, paper wasps, yellowjackets, or conclusion that the hornets found in BC & WA even fire ants and some can die from being stung. are two separate introductions. Death by insect sting usually depends upon the killer wasps have a reddish head and thorax with an abdomen that alternates Cicada 4. Agencies are currently monitoring & trapping number of stings and how your body chemistry yellow and black markings. These wasps ½ inches in length. Cicada killers bu withreach lures to1discover any queens or workers. They reacts to venom injected by the insect. Asian are talkingfrom abouttheir attaching radio tracking devices the ground, so you may see holes left behind digging. giant hornets are capable of killing other insects, to captured wasps to track them back to their nest. including honey bees and other pollinators, but For more information or help with identification, they are not doing this to be vicious or killing for contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension sport. The hornets use insects they kill as food for Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check their larvae....just like other wasps that we have out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com here in Texas. This work is supported by Crops Protection and killer wasp on redbud. Pest Management Competitive Grants Program [grant no. 2017We do not currently have AsianCicada giant hornets in Texas. If you think you have these wasps, then please send samples 70006-27188 /project accession no. 1013905] from the USDA or images to me for identification FACTS as Texas about A&M AgriLife Extension Asian giant hornets in North America National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Copyright © 2020 Peel, Inc.
1. A colony was found late last year (September 2019) in Nanaimo, British Columbia on Wortham Villages Voice - June 2020
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