Georgia officials warn of yellow-legged hornet nesting season in the Coastal Empire

GEORGIA (WTOC) - The Georgia Department of Agriculture is urging residents in the Coastal Empire to be vigilant as yellow-legged hornet queens emerge from winter and begin establishing new nests.

This is the critical time of year when queens build embryo and primary nests.

Early detection is crucial to containing and stopping the invasive pest from spreading. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has spent the past three years tracking and trapping the hornets.

“Early reporting of embryo and primary nests is critical—it allows us to stop queens before they spread and reduces potential damage to our state’s honeybee population,“ said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “This is especially important for residents of Coastal Georgia, particularly in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, and Screven counties, to remain vigilant. By working together, we can protect Georgia’s number one industry—agriculture.”

Residents should stay alert. If you believe you’ve found an embryo or primary nest, do not try to remove it yourself. Instead, contact the GDA Plant Protection team at yellow.legged.hornet@agr.georgia.gov or call a licensed pest management professional.