2021 Asian Giant Hornet Eradication Efforts Underway in Pacific Northwest

OLYMPIA, Wash. — An international effort is focused on eradicating the Asian giant hornet — an invasive pest that threatens pollinators and ignores international borders — in the Pacific Northwest. In the coming year, Washington state, British Columbia and U.S. federal agencies are collaborating on plans to track, trap and eradicate any Asian giant hornets they find.

Washington’s plans remain similar to last year’s response, with an emphasis on public outreach, reporting and trapping. The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) continues to use orange juice and rice cooking wine in traps, while citizen scientists may use either orange juice or a brown sugar-based bait.

WSDA’s trapping remains focused on areas in Whatcom County, where Asian giant hornets were detected in 2019 and 2020. Residents in Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island, Jefferson and Clallam counties are encouraged to participate in citizen scientist trapping beginning in July.

British Columbia’s surveillance program will include traps in areas where there were previous findings, as well as continued outreach and networking with B.C. beekeepers, local governments and partner agencies.

The work will continue last year’s efforts, with comprehensive surveys in Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island and in the Fraser Valley from White Rock to Aldergrove. Six hornet specimens were collected in the Fraser Valley through public reporting. No sightings or collection of Asian giant hornets were reported on Vancouver Island in 2020, which could be declared Asian giant hornet-free if no specimens are reported this year.

In addition to detection and eradication programs, several agencies, including Washington State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the USDA Agricultural Research Service, are conducting research to support detection and eradication efforts.

Reports from the public have been critical for locating Asian giant hornets. Last year, half of the confirmed reports in Washington and all confirmed reports in B.C. were from members of the public. 

Washington residents are asked to report all sightings of Asian giant hornets to WSDA at agr.wa.gov/hornets, via email at hornets@agr.wa.gov or by calling 1-800-443-6684. British Columbians can report their findings to the Invasive Species Council of BC at 1-888-933-3722, online at bcinvasives.ca/report or via the council's "Report Invasives" mobile phone app.