Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 13

Yellow-Legged Hornets Spread Across South Carolina Lowcountry, Threatening Honeybee Colonies Since 2023

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 13

Yellow-Legged Hornets Spread Across South Carolina Lowcountry, Threatening Honeybee Colonies Since 2023

Q: This hornet kills honeybees, but what is its hidden threat to the state's multimillion-dollar fruit and vegetable crops?

The hidden threat is to pollination: by killing honeybees and other pollinators, yellow-legged hornets can cut the pollination that South Carolina’s fruit and vegetable crops depend on, reducing yields and quality. That risk goes beyond honey production. Honeybees are essential to many specialty crops, and the hornets’ attacks can trigger “foraging paralysis,” with bees too afraid to leave the hive. Colonies then weaken or starve, leaving fewer pollinators available for crops such as watermelons and fruit trees. Research and field reports also show the hornets prey on wild pollinators, not just managed honeybees, widening the agricultural threat. Experts say that matters because pollination underpins a large share of farm output. Many fruits and vegetables rely heavily on animal pollination, and wild bees often provide critical backup or even superior pollination for some crops. If hornets suppress both managed and wild pollinators, growers can face lower fruit set, poorer crop quality and economic losses across the state’s multimillion-dollar produce sector. That is why agricultural officials in South Carolina and Georgia are treating the invasion as more than a beekeeping problem. Clemson and partner agencies have expanded trapping and nest-destruction efforts because protecting pollinators is directly tied to protecting farm production.

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 13

South Carolina’s Lowcountry is facing a widening yellow-legged hornet invasion, with the Southeast Asian predator now hunting honeybees across the coastal region after first appearing in late 2023.
Beekeepers say the hornets hover outside hives, pick off bees as they leave and can push colonies toward collapse by forcing bees to stay inside and exhaust their resources.
Clemson University apiary inspector Brad Cavin said the Lowcountry’s warm climate and abundant bees have made the area especially favorable for the hornets’ spread.
The threat is acute because local honeybees lack the defenses evolved by Asian bee species, leaving South Carolina beekeepers in a growing fight to protect pollinators.

Sources

The New York Times6h ago

Yellow-legged Hornets Invade South Carolina Lowcountry, Threatening Honeybees

Yahoo! Voices6h ago

Georgia's yellow-legged hornets hunt honeybees, and experts say they could reach Canada

After removing thousands of queens and nests, why is the yellow-legged hornet still winning the war against South Carolina's bees?

This hornet kills honeybees, but what is its hidden threat to the state's multimillion-dollar fruit and vegetable crops?

Are we accidentally harming native wildlife in the large-scale trapping efforts to stop the invasive hornet?

Yellow-Legged Hornet Invades Southeastern U.S.: Rapid Spread, Ecological Threats, and Urgent Response (2023–2026)

Overview

The yellow-legged hornet is rapidly spreading across the southeastern United States, with confirmed colonies in Georgia and South Carolina. This invasive species has been present for several years and is causing significant concern among agricultural and environmental agencies. Its remarkable adaptability, including a highly flexible diet and ability to thrive in diverse environments, makes it especially difficult to control. In response, Clemson officials and neighboring states are collaborating with federal agencies, increasing surveillance, and encouraging public reporting to track and manage the threat. The hornet’s spread highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to protect local ecosystems and agriculture.

...