The world’s largest hornet, The Asian Giant Hornet was discovered in the State of Washington in the fall of 2019. Also known as the Japanese Hornet, the Yak-Killer Hornet or the Giant Sparrow Bee, this ground nesting giant is as big as your thumb, and just loves eating honey bees.  Honey bee larvae that is. It just kills all the honey bee adults in a hive to get to the larvae, leaving behind devastation beyond belief.

Control is stopping the spread of queens in the fall, which means finding nests in the summer. Listen in as Sven-Erik Spichiger,  the Washington State Entomologist, and North America’s leading hornet hunter and expert fills us in on all the details. What to look for, when to look, how to trap them and more. Hope that getting rid of this pest happens in Washington this season, but be ready for them if not.

Websites and Linked mentioned in this episode –

• WSDA Asian Giant Hornet Website: https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/hornets
• USDA Asian Giant Hornet Fact Sheet: https://cms.agr.wa.gov/WSDAKentico/Documents/PP/PestProgram/Vespa_mandarinia_NPRG_10Feb2020-(002).pdf
• Washington State University Extension AGH Site: https://extension.wsu.edu/wam/asian-giant-hornet-found-locally-what-we-know/
• The Hive Butler: https://www.thehivebutler.com

*** Newly Added Links ***

• How to Identify Different Wasp Species: https://entomologytoday.org/2020/05/11/big-beautiful-confusing-deciphering-true-hornets-vespa/
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This episode is brought to you by Global Patties! Global Patties is a family business that manufactures protein supplement patties for honey bees. Feeding your hives protein supplement patties will help ensure that they produce strong and health colonies by increasing brood production and overall honey flow. Global offers a variety of standard patties, as well as custom patties to meet your specific needs. Visit them today at http://globalpatties.com and let them know you appreciate them sponsoring this episode! 

We want to also thank 2 Million Blossoms as a sponsor of the podcast. 2 Million Blossoms is a new quarterly magazine destined for your coffee table. Each page of the magazine is dedicated to the stories and photos of all pollinators and written by leading researchers, photographers and our very own, Kim Flottum.

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We hope you enjoy this podcast and welcome your questions and comments: [email protected]

Thanks to Bee Culture, the Magazine of American Beekeeping, for their support of The Beekeeping Today Podcast. Available in print and digital at www.beeculture.com

Thank you for listening! 

Podcast music: Young Presidents, "Be Strong"