Do not fear – Asian giant hornet is not here

Q. I think I have an Asian hornet I’ve found at my home/on my farm. I didn’t know they were here. Don’t they cause lots of pain when they sting? Can you positively identify it?

Marcy from North Jackson and Wayne from Canfield

A. The massive size of these “yellow jacket”-type insects being found in the Mahoning Valley is rather striking this time of year.

There are many Internet stories about the scary, acid-burning, panic-inducing Asian giant hornet being sighted in the United States, but zero of these stories have been found to be credible. Whew!

Although many people think these are Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia), what they are actually seeing is the European hornet (V. crabro).

So, do not fear – the Asian giant hornet is not here.

The European hornet is scary enough, but they are not a major threat to humans. They are somewhat common in our area, where queens overwinter and establish new nests each spring. At more than 1 inch long, the insect will capture your attention quickly when you first see one of them. Their life cycle and eating habits are similar to the common yellow jackets you see each year. They feed on grasshoppers, flies and other insects.

Their nests are paper nests like yellow jackets make. The nests are usually found in tree cavities, but can be found in homes (although this is somewhat rare). If you find a nest, it is best to leave it alone.

The European hornets will abandon the nest at the end of the season, so removal can wait until the winter months. Other control options are not recommended. If control is required, it is best to contact a professional to deal with these insects.

The past two seasons, we’ve identified European hornets here in the Mahoning Valley. If you have these insects, you may not see them until you notice the girdling (stripping) of branches on lilac, viburnum and other trees/shrubs in your landscape later in the summer.

Another common insect that is confused with the Asian giant hornet is the cicada killer wasp (Sphecius speciosus). The cicada killer wasp emerges in late July and early August to feast on the annual cicadas that emerge every August in the dog days of summer. Instead of building a large nest, these insects are solitary. They burrow into the ground to make their nests. They are not aggressive.

Details from OSU Experts: http://go.osu.edu/hornetreview; more on the European hornet: http://go.osu.edu/eurohornet; more on the common cicada killer wasp that appear from mid-July through September: http://go.osu.edu/cicadakiller.

Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. Call the office hot line at 330-533-5538 to submit your questions. Regular clinic hours are 9 a.m. to noon Mondays and Thursdays.