Georgia Expanded Yellow-Legged Hornet Eradication Efforts

State authorities increased monitoring efforts in September to curb the spread of the invasive hornet population.

Updated on Oct. 3, 2026 in Environmental

A specialized insect trap hangs from a pine branch in a Georgia forest, used for monitoring and controlling invasive hornet populations. — The Georgia Department of Agriculture removed over 1,300 invasive yellow-legged hornets in September as part of an ongoing statewide eradication effort. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Georgia Department of Agriculture has continued active eradication efforts against the invasive yellow-legged hornet. In September 2026, the department's Plant Protection team removed 33 nests and 1,310 hornets from the Savannah area.

Why it matters

The yellow-legged hornet poses a documented threat to honeybee populations and broader agricultural output in the region. The state is relying on sustained trapping and public reports to manage the infestation, which was first confirmed in Savannah in 2023.

The Plant Protection team checked 8,228 traps throughout September 2026, deploying 32 additional units to expand surveillance coverage. These efforts follow the species' initial 2023 detection in the Savannah area.

The players

Georgia Department of Agriculture

The state agency responsible for agricultural health, biosecurity, and the management of invasive species within Georgia.

The details

The Georgia Department of Agriculture manages the eradication through an intensive network of monitoring traps and manual removal of nests. The agency relies on physical identification of the invasive hornet species, often aided by public reports and photos sent by residents. By removing nests, the team aims to disrupt the reproductive cycle of the hornets, which threaten native agricultural pollinators and honeybees.

2023: Yellow-legged hornets were first spotted in Savannah.
September 2026: The Plant Protection team found 1,310 hornets and 33 nests.

The Tech Race

The Georgia Department of Agriculture Plant Protection team continues to track invasive hornets, following a pattern set by previous state biosecurity initiatives. The state maintains active monitoring protocols to prevent the establishment of non-native species that threaten agricultural biodiversity.

Residents in the Savannah area are encouraged to report potential sightings of hornet nests to aid the state's removal efforts. Photographic evidence submitted by the public remains a critical component of the department's strategy to locate and eradicate the pests.

The takeaway

The ongoing state effort highlights the difficulty of containing invasive species once they have taken root in a new environment. Residents should continue to monitor their properties for signs of these hornets and contact state agriculture officials upon discovery.