Insects and Spiders - native

unknown on Jul 8, 2024

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

it was an Asian giant hornet!

Commentary

Thank you for your report! So far no true hornets have been detected in Oregon, either through our surveys or from public reports. Most likely the insect that you saw was a Cicada killer wasp in the genus Sphecius. They are our most convincing Giant hornet look-alikes. The Western cicada killer is the one expected in your area. They are very large and brightly colored (though not quite as large as a Northern giant hornet!).

Tom Valente
July 12, 2024, 3 a.m.

Location

This morning, I observed a Asian Giant hornet flying into the outside kennel that we have for our Golden Retriever. I was spraying it down with water @ around 9 AM or so July 9th. it’s bright orange body caught my eye right away. The kennel has black rubber mats and pavers it’s probably around 300 square feet of chain-link fence. It was extremely hot out and I believe it was attracted to the water, as I observed the Asian giant flying toward some water that was on the ground. I tried to spray it with the water hose so I could knock it down to get a better look at it because Ive never seen a hornet so big. With no luck and it flew directly west from my location. Thats when I went inside and looked it up and sure enough identified it as the giant Asian hornet.

Expert Reviewer

Tom Valente
Oregon Department of Agriculture

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