Vespa mandarinia japonica

The Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia) was found late last season in the northwestern corner of Washington State and just across the U.S. – Canadian border on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It has not been found elsewhere in North America, but we must remain vigilant.

When you read or hear about "Asian hornets," you need to keep two things in mind. First, the "Asian" moniker has been commonly applied to at least three hornet species native to various Asian regions. The second thing to remember is that none of these hornets have been found living in the U.S.