January 2026 Yellow-legged Hornet Update: Recap of the YLH Response in 2025

Introduction

Our goal is to keep you informed about the Yellow-legged Hornet (YLH) infestation in South Carolina. Supportive community relationships are essential to the success of detecting, tracking, and removing this pest. This update is being issued to collaborators, communities, and stakeholders, and we invite you to share this information with anyone who may be affected by our operations.

Background

What happened? In August 2023, Vespa velutina, Yellow-Legged Hornet (YLH) was detected in the United States for the first time near Savannah, GA, less than five miles from the South Carolina-Georgia border. In Spring 2024, several YLH queens and one embryo nest were found in Beaufort County; worker detections continued through summer.

Why do we care? Yellow-Legged Hornets prey on honeybees, causing reduced foraging and colony failure. This impact would result in reduced honey and other honeybee products and reduced crop production due to decreased pollination by honeybees and native pollinators.

What are we doing? With the Support of USDA APHIS, Clemson’s Honeybee Protection Program is surveying for YLH focusing on detecting workers and finding nests within a wide area around the initial detections. Baited traps are used to initially detect hornets, followed by tracking live hornets to narrow down the nest search area. Eradication focuses on locating and destroying nests including queens. Nests should ideally be destroyed by late summer or very early fall before new queens are actively mating and dispersing. Nest destruction will continue throughout the fall and early winter.

What does it look like?

• Body length: Ranges from 0.7 – 1.0 inches
• Colorations:
  • Head: Mostly black with some front-facing yellow/orange; Black eyes
  • Thorax: Mostly solid black/dark brown
  • Abdomen: Alternating bands of dark brown/black and yellow/orange
  • Legs: Brown or black near the body, ending in yellow segments

Life Cycle

The YLH lifecycle shows year-round identification. By recognizing the hornet in different stages of life and understanding the different nests constructed throughout the lifecycle, citizens can assist in the early detection and eradication of infestations. YLH move to new areas primarily through human activities such as trade, travel, and tourism, often hitching rides on vehicles and cargo. It also has a natural movement ranging from 10 to 20 miles a year.

YLH By the Numbers – 2025 & 2026 as of 01/13/2026

• 1,576 traps set in Beaufort County, Jasper County, Colleton County, Charleston County, Hampton County, and York County
• 17,863 YLH trap services completed in Beaufort County, Jasper County, Colleton County, Charleston County, Hampton County, and York County
• More than 400 YLH Queens have been caught and removed from the SC environment during the Spring 2025
• 27,322 YLH adults have been caught throughout the 2025 trapping season
• 12 Embryo nests, 26 Primary nests, and 76 Secondary nests were located and removed
• The top 5 counties for public reports are Beaufort, Charleston, Greenville, Jasper, and York. There were 294 positive reports for YLH. The top 5 lookalikes reported were Bald-faced hornets, Cicada Killers, European hornets, Paper Wasps, and Yellow Jacket queens.

Image descriptions: The above maps reflect YLH nests located and removed in 2024 and 2025 in the Low Country (left) and York County (right). To view the live map, please follow this link to Clemson® DPI’s GIS map of known YLH nest locations in South Carolina.

Image descriptions: The above maps are the current YLH trapping areas in the Low Country (left) and York County (right) of South Carolina.

Latest Buzz

The Clemson Department of Plant Industry (DPI) and USDA inspectors placed and regularly monitor Yellow-Legged hornet traps throughout Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, Charleston, York, and Hampton Counties of South Carolina. Trapping sites are established near known YLH detections and honeybee colonies.

DPI is currently gearing up for 2026 by preparing traps and supplies, expanding trapping locations, and continuing public outreach efforts. The public should survey structures and report any YLH Embryo Nests, typically found in protected areas that are sheltered from environmental conditions (ex. constructed  underneath roof lines, eaves of buildings).

Reflection on 2025 Nest Removals

A big thank you to all groups involved in helping identify and remove nests this past year. Please join us on reflecting on a few moments in the photos below.

Photo Credit: Photos taken by Nate Krelis (Hilton Head Exterminators) & Allison Lewis, Addison Foster, and Brad Cavin (Clemson University DPI).

York County Nest Dissection

The nest removed from York County was dissected on January 15, 2026, to study the life stage of the nest, number of YLH individuals, and the reproductive status of the hornets. Information from the dissection will be provided as soon as the data is available.

Photo Credit: All photos taken by Brad Cavin and Caroline Oatley (Clemson University DPI) and Dee Olekas (Clemson University Apiculture and Pollination Program).

What you can do

• Beekeepers: Beekeepers play a vital role in monitoring apiaries and colonies for YLH activity and reporting YLH sightings to Clemson® DPI’s reporting tool. Reporting activity helps DPI deploy traps if needed and attempt to identify the nest location in a timely manner. Keep an eye out for hawking behavior on honeybee colonies.
• Citizens: All South Carolina citizens can familiarize themselves with hornet and nest identification and assist with reporting. A citizen trapping program for the YLH is now live. The program includes instructions & videos on constructing traps, baits, and reporting YLH findings.
• The Yellow-legged hornet is an invasive species that will move to new areas primarily through human activities such as trade, travel, and tourism, often hitching rides on vehicles and cargo, so please be careful and inspect your items prior to travel especially if you live in a YLH infested area.
• DO NOT attempt to remove a nest on your own. Report it to the YLH Reporting Tool. Someone from the YLH Response Team will contact you and arrange the removal. We will make sure to remove the nest and queen; this will ensure the queen does not fly off and start a new nest location.
• ALL REPORTS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A PHOTO WITH THE REPORT. AN IDENTIFICATION CANNOT BE MADE OR VERIFIED WITHOUT A PHOTO.

Closing

The mission of Clemson University Department of Plant Industry (DPI) is to protect South Carolina’s agricultural resources and natural ecosystems from the introduction and spread of invasive species and to enhance the efficiency of South Carolina’s agriculture. South Carolina faces major concerns from biosecurity issues and exotic pests. Without federal assistance, South Carolina would not be able to maintain early detection, provide maximum affordable laboratory capability, and maintain a field force to conduct surveys and identify, quarantine, and dispose of introduced pests at effective levels.

Clemson DPI would like to recognize the funding and support received from the USDA, without which YLH trapping efforts would not be possible. We would also like to thank the Georgia Department of Agriculture for their invaluable expertise and collaboration on YLH eradication in South Carolina.

Helpful Links

• Clemson® DPI Resources
  • YLH Reporting Tool
  • YLH Identification Tips
  • DPI YLH Lookalikes
  • Map of YLH Nest Locations in SC
• USDA APHIS on YLH
• Georgia Department of Agriculture on YLH
• Clemson Extension’s Apiculture and Pollinator Program
• Article on Exotic Hornet Threats to Apiculture
• York County Detection Article

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