Saw a Giant Hornet in Boerne? What It Most Likely Is
If a huge wasp in Boerne made you think "murder hornet," relax: what you saw was almost certainly a native insect, and Texas A&M AgriLife says the usual suspects are the cicada killer and the pigeon horntail. The Asian giant hornet, renamed the northern giant hornet, has never been confirmed anywhere in Texas, and USDA and Washington's agriculture department announced in December 2024 that it had been eliminated from the country. Get a photo from a safe distance and work through the questions below; if a real nest sits by your door, call or text (210) 281-1064 or book online.
Three questions that sort out most sightings #
The real giant hornet, for comparison #
Per AgriLife, the genuine article measures 1.5 to 2 inches, and its bright orange or yellow head is at least as broad as the shoulders behind it, over a dark brown thorax and a pinched waist. That wide orange head is the tell. On a cicada killer the head is clearly slimmer than the thorax, and on a pigeon horntail there is no waist to speak of. Our giant hornet guide goes deeper.
Could one really be loose around here? #
According to the Texas Apiary Inspection Service, the species is simply absent from Texas (TAIS). That includes Kendall County, where Boerne has served as county seat since 1862 (City of Boerne history). The only North American finds came from British Columbia and from Whatcom County in northwest Washington, and the four U.S. nests located in 2020 and 2021 were all inside alder tree cavities. Officials called it eradicated on December 18, 2024, after three straight years without a confirmed detection, though Washington still cautions it could get in a second time.
AgriLife entomologists have also said Texas is unlikely to suit it, pointing to our hot summers and open, treeless plains. Since 2022 the Entomological Society of America's approved common name has been "northern giant hornet," so articles under either name describe the same insect.
If you are still unsure #
- Submit your photo using the Insect ID form run by Texas A&M's entomology department; that is where TAIS sends Texans.
- Beekeepers who watch a hive being attacked can reach TAIS by phone (979-321-5827) or email ([email protected]).
- Skip Washington's reporting line; it handles Washington sightings only.
- Fear is no reason to wipe out cicada killers. AgriLife regards them as useful and rarely in need of control.
How Pest Trappers helps #
There is no giant hornet service, because there is nothing here to treat. A technician can identify the insect, check for any nest near the house, and lay out the options if a yellowjacket, paper wasp or hornet colony sits where people walk. Products, when needed, go on per the label, and you get a price after the inspection. The visit is handled by Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), a family business, and the office confirms the time. See the Boerne page for other local pests.