Georgia is home to two established hornet species and one recent invasive arrival that has state and federal agencies on alert. Most large stinging insects you’ll encounter in the state are either European hornets or bald-faced hornets, both of which have lived in the region for decades. But since 2023, the yellow-legged hornet has added a new layer of concern, particularly for beekeepers and wildlife officials in the southeastern part of the state.
European Hornets: Georgia’s Largest
The European hornet is the biggest hornet species in the United States and is particularly common in Georgia. Native to Europe and Asia, it was introduced to North America in the mid-1800s and is now widespread across the eastern states. You might also hear it called the brown hornet or giant hornet. Adults are hefty insects, with brown and yellow banding on the abdomen and a reddish-brown thorax. Workers typically measure about an inch long, while queens can be noticeably larger.
European hornets are one of the few social wasps that fly at night, and they’re often attracted to porch lights and illuminated windows during summer and early fall. They prefer to nest in sheltered cavities: hollow trees, wall voids, attics, and sometimes abandoned birdhouses. Their nests are made of chewed wood pulp and are usually hidden inside these structures rather than hanging in the open. A mature colony can house several hundred workers by late summer.
These hornets are generally less aggressive than yellowjackets unless you disturb their nest. They feed on other insects, including grasshoppers, flies, and caterpillars, making them useful predators in gardens. They also girdle the bark of certain trees and shrubs to feed on sap, which can sometimes damage ornamental plants like lilacs and birches.
Bald-Faced Hornets: The Ones With Paper Nests
Bald-faced hornets are easy to recognize. They’re black with striking ivory-white markings on the face, thorax, legs, and abdomen. Despite the name, they’re technically a type of yellowjacket rather than a true hornet, but the common name has stuck. Workers range from about half an inch to three-quarters of an inch long, with queens reaching close to an inch.
If you’ve ever seen a large, grey, football-shaped nest hanging from a tree branch or tucked under the eaves of a building, it almost certainly belonged to bald-faced hornets. These papery nests can reach up to 24 inches tall and 18 inches across by the end of the season. They’re typically built at least three feet off the ground, sometimes as high as 60 feet in tall trees. Each nest is a single-season structure. The colony dies off in winter, and new queens start fresh the following spring.
Bald-faced hornets are notably defensive around their nests. They can sting repeatedly and will pursue perceived threats. If you find a nest near a doorway, play area, or high-traffic spot on your property, professional removal is the safest option. Spraying only the outside of a nest without treating the interior will agitate the colony and increase sting risk for days afterward.
The Yellow-Legged Hornet: Georgia’s Invasive Newcomer
In August 2023, the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed the first live detection of a yellow-legged hornet in the open United States, found near Savannah. This species is native to tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia and has already caused serious ecological damage in parts of Europe, where it arrived around 2004. Its primary threat is to honeybees. Yellow-legged hornets are skilled predators that hover outside hive entrances and pick off returning foragers, and a sustained attack can collapse a colony.
Yellow-legged hornets build two types of nests over the course of a season. Primary nests appear in late spring and early summer and tend to be small, often in low, sheltered spots like hedges or under overhangs. If left unchecked, colonies relocate to larger secondary nests higher in tree canopies later in the season. These secondary nests are significantly bigger and harder to locate and remove. Early identification and destruction of primary nests is the most effective way to stop the spread.
The hornet itself is mostly dark brown or black with yellow-orange legs (the feature that gives it its common name) and a single wide orange-yellow band near the end of its abdomen. It’s smaller than the European hornet but larger than most yellowjackets.
What About “Murder Hornets”?
The northern giant hornet, the species that made headlines as the “murder hornet,” was discovered in Washington State in 2019. It has not been found in Georgia. There are no confirmed detections anywhere in the southeastern United States. The only invasive hornet species confirmed in Georgia is the yellow-legged hornet, which is a different and smaller species. Many native insects, including cicada killers, European hornets, and certain large wasps, get mistaken for both of these invasive species.
How to Tell Them Apart
- European hornet: Brown and yellow, about 1 inch, nests inside cavities like tree hollows and wall voids, active at night near lights.
- Bald-faced hornet: Black with white face and body markings, builds large grey paper nests in trees or under eaves, highly defensive near the nest.
- Yellow-legged hornet: Dark body with distinctive yellow-orange legs and a single orange band on the abdomen, builds small primary nests low and large secondary nests high in trees.
Accurate identification matters. Many of Georgia’s native large wasps and hornets are valuable pollinators and insect predators. Killing the wrong species doesn’t help and removes beneficial insects from your local ecosystem.
What a Hornet Sting Feels Like
A normal sting from any of these species causes immediate sharp pain, redness, and swelling at the site. This is a localized reaction to the venom and typically resolves on its own within a few hours to a day. Cleaning the area, applying ice, and taking an over-the-counter antihistamine for itching is usually enough.
Some people develop a large local reaction where the swelling extends well beyond the sting site. A sting on the hand, for example, might cause the entire forearm to swell. This looks alarming but is generally managed the same way as a normal reaction, though it can persist for two to three days. If the swelling is unusually painful or extensive, medical attention may be warranted.
Between 1.6% and 5.1% of Americans have experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction to an insect sting at some point. Anaphylaxis can cause hives, flushing, difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure, and shock. It progresses rapidly and requires immediate use of injectable epinephrine. Anyone with a known sting allergy should carry an epinephrine auto-injector, especially during Georgia’s peak hornet season from midsummer through early fall.
Dealing With Nests on Your Property
For European hornets and bald-faced hornets, the simplest approach is leaving nests alone if they’re in a location that doesn’t affect daily activity. Colonies die naturally with the first hard frost, and the nest won’t be reused the following year. If a nest is in a high-traffic area, a licensed pest control professional can remove it safely. Late evening or early morning, when workers are inside and less active, is the best time for removal.
Yellow-legged hornet nests require a different response. If you believe you’ve found one, do not attempt removal yourself. Contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection Division at yellow.legged.hornet@agr.georgia.gov. Reporting suspected sightings, even if you’re not sure, helps state and federal agencies track the spread. The GDA is actively working to eradicate this species before it becomes established, and early detection of primary nests in late spring and early summer is critical to that effort.