Georgia agriculture officials are continuing an aggressive effort to track and eradicate the invasive yellow-legged hornet, with more than 1,000 of the insects found during August alone. According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, crews found 1,090 yellow-legged hornets and 60 nests during August. State personnel also deployed 48 new traps and checked 7,944 existing traps as part of the ongoing eradication program. The numbers highlight the continuing challenge Georgia faces three years after the insect was first discovered in the state. In August 2023, agriculture officials confirmed a yellow-legged hornet near Savannah — the first confirmed live specimen of the species found in the open United States. The Department of Agriculture, USDA and the University of Georgia have since worked together to trap, track and eradicate the invasive insect. Despite the increased activity, there have been no confirmed detections in Northwest Georgia. The Georgia Department of Agriculture currently says confirmed yellow-legged hornets in the state have been found in the Savannah area, specifically Chatham, Bryan, Effingham and Liberty counties. However, officials are asking residents across Georgia to remain alert because preventing the hornet from spreading is considered important to the state’s agriculture industry. The yellow-legged hornet is especially concerning because it preys on honeybees and other pollinators. Bees are important to the production of a number of Georgia…
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