An invasive hornet species is spreading across our Sea Islands, posing a threat to local pollinators, agriculture, and ecosystems—but you can help stop its spread!
Yellow-legged hornets prey on honeybees by attacking them in flight and overwhelming their hives. As honeybee colonies decline, fewer bees are available to pollinate flowers and crops, resulting in reduced crop production and less honey. Since honeybees are essential pollinators, their decline can have lasting impacts throughout our local ecosystem.
Native to Southeast Asia, the yellow-legged hornet was first detected in the United States in 2023 near Savannah, Georgia, just five miles from the South Carolina border. Since then, the species has continued to spread throughout the Lowcountry, with 264 nests detected in 2026.
The Clemson University Department of Plant Industry (DPI) is leading efforts to eradicate yellow-legged hornets by locating and removing nests and placing non-toxic bait traps throughout the region. By learning how to identify these hornets and their nests, you can play an important role in protecting our Sea Islands.
Yellow-legged hornets can be identified by their black head and eyes with some yellow on the face, a solid black thorax, an abdomen with alternating dark and yellow-orange bands, and distinctive yellow-tipped legs. Adults typically measure between seven-tenths and one inch long.
Primary nests are often found in sheltered locations, including sheds, garages, barns, carports, porch ceilings, building eaves, birdhouses, shrubs, hedges, and abandoned structures. Clemson’s DPI encourages residents to periodically inspect their property and surrounding areas for signs of hornet activity.
If you spot a yellow-legged hornet or one of its nests, report it through Clemson’s DPI Reporting Tool. You can also help monitor local populations by making a simple, non-toxic yellow-legged hornet trap at home using Clemson’s step-by-step tutorial.
Together, we can help protect our native pollinators and preserve the health of our Sea Islands.