Georgia agriculture officials are urging residents in several coastal counties to stay alert and report sightings of early-stage yellow-legged hornet nests as the state continues efforts to prevent larger infestations that could threaten pollinators and agriculture.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper is asking people in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties to watch for embryo and primary nests and report any suspected activity.
“Georgia has made significant progress in our effort to eradicate the yellow-legged hornet, but public participation remains critical to our success,” Harper said in a statement. “Every embryo or primary nest reported and removed today helps prevent larger infestations tomorrow. We need Georgians to stay alert and report suspected nests to help protect our pollinators and Georgia’s number one industry—agriculture.”
According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, early detection and removal of these nests is key to stopping the development of larger secondary nests later in the season. Officials say a single undetected primary nest can produce a much larger secondary nest containing thousands of hornets and multiple reproductive queens capable of establishing new colonies…