DEBUNKED: Is That a Murder Hornet in Your Hudson Valley Back Yard?
We're all basking in the summer glow, but with the warmer weather and summer months comes the bugs.
We do what we can to keep them away, but citronella candles can only do so much. I know I can't be the only one who has seen the post on their Facebook timeline of ginormous hornet/bee/wasps in Hudson Valley residents' backyards.
Are these those Killer Hornets that we were warned about back in 2020? Apparently, we have nothing to worry about according to the DEC.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is easing the worry of many living in New York State and shared some helpful information about The European hornet and The Eastern cicada killer...which is what you're probably seeing in your backyard.
Good news, backyard entomologists! That big yellow-and-black insect you found is probably not a “murder hornet,” AKA, Asian giant hornet. Asian giant hornets are a potential invasive species in the Western United States, but they have not been found in New York and are unlikely to make their way here any time soon.
Let us reiterate MURDER HORNETS HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND IN NY. Phew. Now that that's out of the way...
European Hornets
You may be seeing a European hornet. They're teardrop shaped and live in colonies of over 300 workers and the DEC says they "may aggressively defend their nests." Yikes.
Could it be an Eastern cicada killer you see in your backyard? Possibly. Thankfully, the DEC explains, they are "virtually no danger to humans" unless they are handled roughly. They tend to only use their stinger on cicadas.
Did that ease your mind like it did mine? Thank goodness for the DEC!
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