07/30/2026
The first finding of the yellow-legged hornet has been confirmed in North Carolina, and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is asking beekeepers to watch for the invasive predator hornet.
This first established presence was discovered in Matthews, North Carolina. Survey, trapping and response efforts by NCDA&CS and USDA-APHIS-PPQ are ongoing.
The yellow-legged hornet is a predator of honey bees, native bees and other insects. They exhibit "hawking" behavior by hovering near the entrances of honey bee hives and capturing honey bees as they exit or enter the hive.
"Yellow-legged hornets are not an increased risk to humans (the risk of stings/attacks is similar to other native relatives), but they are dangerous to honey bees," said Matt Bertone, director of the NC State Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. "This is a species that will actively hunt honey bees and destroy hives, making it a destructive pest for beekeepers."
The invasive insect is about an inch long, with its most distinctive feature being that the bottom half of all its legs are yellow. Their hives can grow larger than other hornets' nests and have a reddish, muddy color.
Read more about the yellow-legged hornet and learn how to report any suspected sightings at the link in our comments.
