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'Murder Hornets' Not In Florida

WFSU | By Robbie Gaffney
Published August 21, 2020 at 5:07 PM EDT
Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologist Chris Looney displays a dead Asian giant hornet, a sample brought in from Japan for research, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Blaine, Wash. The new Asian hornets that have been found in Washington state may be deadly to honeybees, but bug experts say the Asian giant hornet is not a big threat to people.
Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologist Chris Looney displays a dead Asian giant hornet, a sample brought in from Japan for research, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Blaine, Wash. The new Asian hornets that have been found in Washington state may be deadly to honeybees, but bug experts say the Asian giant hornet is not a big threat to people.

Floridians can check one thing off their worry list. The state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says there’s no evidence so-called “murder hornets” have landed in Florida. This statement comes after several sightings were reported to the department.

The Asian giant hornet, also known as “murder hornet,” is not in Florida. Reports of these insects are often the result of misidentification, says the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It has released a guide (shown below) on how to tell Florida native hornets and Asian giant hornets apart. The latter is the world’s largest species of hornet. According to the department, they rarely attack people or pets. People can report sightings by emailing DPIHelpline@FDACS.gov or by calling 1-888-397-1517.

The guide displays the following information: The actual size of an Asian giant hornet is 33 - 55 mm. It has a social nest of up to 3,000 cells. The Eastern Cicada Killer is 30 - 50 mm. It has a solitary nest up to one cell. The Bald Faced Hornet is 15 - 25 mm. It has a social nest of up to 700 cells. The Queen Yellow Jacket is 12 - 23 mm. It also has a social nest. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released this guide on how to quickly identify native species of hornet and how that compares to the Asian giant hornet.

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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released this guide on how to quickly identify native species of hornet and how that compares to the Asian giant hornet.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services /
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released this guide on how to quickly identify native species of hornet and how that compares to the Asian giant hornet.
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Environment Murder HornetDepartment of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Robbie Gaffney
Robbie Gaffney is a recent graduate from Florida State University with degrees in Digital Media Production and Creative Writing. Before working at WFSU, they recorded FSU’s basketball and baseball games for Seminole Productions as well as interned for the PBS Station in Largo, Florida. Robbie loves playing video games such as Shadow of the Colossus, Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. Their other hobbies include sleeping and watching anime.
See stories by Robbie Gaffney
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