OHIO – According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture no Asian Giant Hornets have been seen in Ohio yet, but since its popularity people are getting it confused with the Cicada Killer Wasp.
“The public is encouraged to report possible sightings of the AGH in Ohio, however it is important to note that if an official confirmation is to be made, it must be done by the USDA or the Ohio Department of Agriculture using a captured specimen. No official confirmation has yet been made in Ohio,” said ODA.
The photo on the left is the Asian Giant Hornet, and the photo on the right is the Cicada Killer Wasp, a similar-looking bug you can spot all around the Buckeye State.
The Cicada Killer Wasp is the largest wasp in the Ohio, and a solitary insect unlike most of its family. The females are the largest in the species, and they like their name feed on cicadas. You won’t see these guys until around June to July, they dig burrows in the ground, and are very passive insects. They normally do not sting unless roughly handled.
Their large size is needed because after they kill cicadas the female will bring the large beetle carcass back to the nest. This is a difficult task for this large wasp because cicadas are usually twice the size of them.
Please do not capture or kill insects for reporting purposes, unless you are confident it is an AGH. Photographs of the hornet or its damage can be used to help rule out look-alike insects prior to specimen collection.
There are several ways to report suspected sightings in Ohio. Reporting a sighting by phone is discouraged, as a photo of the suspected pest or its damage is more useful than a verbal description.
- Report using the Ohio Asian Giant Hornet Reporting Tool
- Email [email protected]
- If reporting by email, please include the following information:
- Your name and contact information
- The location of the sighting/attack
- Date of sighting/attack
- Photograph of the hornet or damage (required)
- Description of the hive loss/damage
- If reporting by email, please include the following information:
If the suspected sighting is NOT in the state of Ohio, please submit the report to your state’s department of agriculture.
