Pest profile

Yellow-Legged Hornet

Vespa velutina · Hymenoptera: Vespidae[2]

The yellow-legged hornet is an invasive Asian hornet first found in Georgia and South Carolina in 2023; it preys heavily on honey bees.[1]

Yellow-legged hornet, a dark hornet with an orange-yellow band near the tip of the abdomen and yellow-tipped legs
Yellow-legged hornet, a dark hornet with an orange-yellow band near the tip of the abdomen and yellow-tipped legs. (c) Javier Sánchez Álvarez, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • The form found outside Asia is mostly black with a yellow face, black thorax, black legs with yellow tips and a mostly yellow rear abdomen.[1]
  • Queens are 0.78 to 1.26 inches; late-season workers reach a similar size.[1]
  • Summer 'secondary' nests are egg-shaped paper nests, often high in tall trees.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Bald-faced hornetBlack and white with all-black legs; its round paper nests are far more common.[1]
European hornetLarger, reddish-brown and yellow, and nests in cavities such as hollow trees rather than exposed nests.[1]
Cicada killerAbout 2 inches long and solitary, nesting in the ground.[1]
Northern giant hornetHas a fully yellow head and isn't found in eastern North America.[1]

Where it lives

As of summer 2026 it's found in South Carolina and Georgia, mainly between Savannah and Charleston.[1]

US map: public records from 2 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Queens overwinter, build an embryo nest, then workers build a primary nest and a summer secondary nest.[1]

Mature colonies average about 400 workers but can approach 2,000.[1]

Damage and signs

  • In Europe, one study found 30 percent of commercial honey bee colonies weakened by hornet attacks and 5 percent killed.[1]

Health risk

Stings hurt like other wasp stings; people who are allergic or stung many times should get immediate medical care.[1]

Control

Prevention

Check the wasps themselves before assuming an egg-shaped paper nest belongs to this hornet.[1]

When to call a professional

Report suspected yellow-legged hornets with photos of the wasps: in South Carolina through Clemson, in Pennsylvania to Penn State's Insect ID Lab.[1]

Common questions

How can I tell a yellow-legged hornet from a bald-faced hornet?
Bald-faced hornets are black and white with black legs; yellow-legged hornets have yellow-tipped legs and a yellow face.[1]
Where are yellow-legged hornets in the US?
As of summer 2026, mainly between Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.[1]

Sources

  1. Penn State Extension, “Yellow-Legged Hornet.” extension.psu.edu/yellow-legged-hornet (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Vespa velutina taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/119019 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.