Asian hornet in Ontario Oregon? - Ask Extension
Not sure if I am asking the right people about this, but I found this dead in my driveway on NW 4th Ave. In Ontario Oregon. I have never seen a hornet...
Knowledgebase
Asian hornet in Ontario Oregon? #874549
Asked June 24, 2024, 10:21 PM EDT
Not sure if I am asking the right people about this, but I found this dead in my driveway on NW 4th Ave. In Ontario Oregon. I have never seen a hornet/wasp of this size and marking locally. The only comparison I can make is with the Asian hornet.
Malheur County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Darrell,
Thanks for being alert and on the look-out for Asian giant hornets (also called northern giant hornets and murder hornets, Vespa mandarina).
Luckily, the wasp you found is a native cicada-killer wasp (Sphecius grandis or Sphecius convallis--I can't tell which species from the photo).
Female cicada-killer wasps catch and paralyze cicadas, which they bring back to their nests to provide food for their larvae.
Here is a link with more information about cicada-killers...
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/cicada-killer-wasps
Asian giant hornets are similar in size to cicada-killers, but the heads of Asian giant hornets are larger and paler in color.
Here is a link to a great webpage from the Washington Department of Agriculture that show side-by-side pics of Asian giant hornets (called northern giant hornets here) and some similar looking insects...
https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/hornets/identification/ngh-and-look-alikes
Enjoy!
Thanks for being alert and on the look-out for Asian giant hornets (also called northern giant hornets and murder hornets, Vespa mandarina).
Luckily, the wasp you found is a native cicada-killer wasp (Sphecius grandis or Sphecius convallis--I can't tell which species from the photo).
Female cicada-killer wasps catch and paralyze cicadas, which they bring back to their nests to provide food for their larvae.
Here is a link with more information about cicada-killers...
https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/cicada-killer-wasps
Asian giant hornets are similar in size to cicada-killers, but the heads of Asian giant hornets are larger and paler in color.
Here is a link to a great webpage from the Washington Department of Agriculture that show side-by-side pics of Asian giant hornets (called northern giant hornets here) and some similar looking insects...
https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/hornets/identification/ngh-and-look-alikes
Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the rapid and informative response. Something of a relief, truth be told. I wasn't looking forward to the damage to our local honey bee population.
Glad we could help!
