So-called ‘murder hornet’ eradicated in U.S., officials say

The insect, officially known as the Northern Giant Hornet, became established in the Blaine area of Whatcom County, just minutes south of the British Columbia border.

Officials in Washington state say they have eradicated the invasive insect that made headlines in recent years with the nickname “murder hornet.”

The insect, officially known as the Northern Giant Hornet, became established in the Blaine area of Whatcom County, just minutes south of the British Columbia border.

The hornets aren’t particularly dangerous to humans but have a voracious appetite for bees and other native pollinators and insects.

On Wednesday, officials with the Washington State Department of Agriculture said the state has gone three years without a confirmed detection and declared the insect eradicated.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team, which has dedicated years of hard work to safeguarding our state and the nation from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture,” WSDA director Derek Sandison said in a media release.

In a statement of its own, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food said British Columbia remains “Northern Giant Hornet-free.”

“A hornet was last found in B.C. in the Fraser Valley in 2021 – it was the only hornet found that year,” it said.

“The Ministry’s annual surveillance and monitoring in the Fraser Valley concluded in 2024 and will resume if new findings are confirmed in the future.”