northern giant hornet

noun

plural northern giant hornets

: a large hornet (Vespa mandarinia) of temperate to tropical forests and mountains of Asia that typically nests underground and that has a yellow or orange head, a dark thorax, an abdomen with alternating bands of black or brown and orange or yellow, and a stinger nearly .4 inches (1 centimeter) long

Northern giant hornet queens are among the largest wasps in the world and can grow in excess of 2 inches with a wingspan of 3 inches. … Northern giant hornet workers can grow to 1.5 inches in length …

—Michael J. Skvarla

The northern giant hornet is native to eastern Asia—mostly Japan, Korea and Taiwan—and feeds on honey bees and other small insects. … Their sting injects a large amount of venom, which can be very painful and may also cause swelling, redness and itching.

—Winston Szeto

The northern giant hornet poses a potential threat to honeybees, human health and agriculture. … In 2019, the hornet now known as the northern giant hornet was found in Washington State, and there have been efforts to eradicate the species entirely since then.

—Rachel Fadem

Note: This insect, formerly known as the Asian giant hornet, Japanese giant hornet, or murder hornet, was officially renamed by the Entomological Society of America in July 2022 in order to comply with Society policies discouraging geographic references for invasive species.

Examples of northern giant hornet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The first northern giant hornet nest found in the U.S. was promptly destroyed in October 2020, but a live hornet was spotted in Washington the following year. —Randi Richardson, NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024

But the names could lead to issues if people shorten them, confusing them with the northern giant hornet species. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 5 Dec. 2024

The yellow-legged hornet is not as large as the infamous northern giant hornet that made national headlines in 2021. —Cole Sikes Communications and Marketing Specialist Alabama Cooperative Extension System, al, 16 Aug. 2023

The invasive insects, which are now called northern giant hornets, were feared also because of their ability to rapidly kill domestic honeybee and hornet species. —Simrin Singh, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2023

Instead, the classification is meant to put it on par with creatures like the northern giant hornet, also known as the murder hornet. —Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 July 2022

In 2019, the hornet now known as the northern giant hornet was found in Washington State, and there have been efforts to eradicate the species entirely since then. —Rachel Fadem, CNN, 26 July 2022

For the first time since 2019, the northern giant hornet hasn't been found in Washington State. —Teddy Grant, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2022

The invasive insect, which is also known as the Asian giant hornet, has been classified as the northern giant hornet by the Entomological Society of America (ESA). —Fox News, 27 July 2022

Word History

First Known Use

2022, in the meaning defined above