The hornet formerly known as ‘murder’ hasn’t been spotted in Washington state this year
Good news! The invasive insect formerly known as the “murder hornet” might soon be under control in Washington state. After wrapping up its pest trapping season for 2022, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) reported no sightings of the northern giant hornet.
“When it comes to the pests that we survey for, the best news is no news,” Sven Spichiger, WSDA managing entomologist, said in a press release yesterday.
It is still too early to declare complete victory over the hornet. It takes three years of no sightings for the pest to be considered “eradicated” under federal guidelines. But this is the first year without sightings since the first report of a northern giant hornet in Washington set off alarm bells in 2019.