The Asian Giant Hornet (AGH), dubiously nicknamed the “murder hornet,” has been the subject of memes and nightmares since it was discovered in the northwest region of Washington State in 2019. But despite the attention garnered by these ferocious-sounding buzzkills (see what we did there?), spotting one in New York is highly unlikely.
Native to east Asia, there have been no confirmed sightings of AGH in the U.S. outside of Washington State. And fortunately, humans are low on the sting priority list for these giant bees, with most stinging only when provoked or protecting an active hive.
According to research from our partners at New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, New York is home to more than 500 species of bees and wasps, but only two—the European Hornet and the Cicada Killer—remotely compare in size to the AGH, which can range from one to two inches in length—roughly the length of an AA battery!
While spotting a terrifying news article about a looming AGH invasion is far more likely than ever encountering the real thing, beekeepers are encouraged to remain on the lookout, as AGH are most dangerous to European Honey Bees.