Saw a Giant Hornet in Cibolo? What It Most Likely Is
The big, scary wasp you spotted in Cibolo was almost certainly a Texas native, such as a cicada killer working a sunny lawn, an oversized yellowjacket queen or a tarantula hawk on flowers. The northern giant hornet (once called the Asian giant hornet) has never been found in Texas, and U.S. officials declared it eradicated in December 2024. Get a picture from a safe distance and match it against the table below. If a real local stinger has a nest by your entry, phone or text (210) 281-1064, or book online.
Check the head first #
One feature separates the real giant hornet from nearly everything in a Cibolo yard. In AgriLife's description, the hornet measures 1.5 to 2 inches, and its head, colored vivid orange or yellow, is as broad as the shoulders or broader; behind it come a dark brown thorax and a pinched waist (AgriLife Today). Compare that with a cicada killer, the usual mix-up, whose head is slimmer than the body section behind it, or a pigeon horntail, which lacks a waist entirely.
Where the giant hornet has actually been found #
Every North American detection came from British Columbia or Whatcom County in Washington State. As far as Texas goes, the Texas Apiary Inspection Service is blunt: the hornet is not here (TAIS). On December 18, 2024, three years after the last confirmed detection, Washington State officials and USDA announced that the hornet had been wiped out in the United States. They still warn that a species which got in once could get in again.
You will see two names. "Northern giant hornet" became the official common name in July 2022 on the Entomological Society of America's recommendation, and both agencies have switched to it; older stories say "Asian giant hornet." Same insect either way.
The Cibolo insects that get called giant hornets #
| Insect | Size and look | Sting risk | Cibolo page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cicada killer | 1 to 1.5 in; rusty head and thorax, black-and-yellow abdomen | Males cannot sting; females rarely do | Cicada killers |
| Southern yellowjacket queen | Far larger than her workers, largely orange | Her colony defends hard | Yellowjackets |
| Tarantula hawk | Up to 2 in; glossy blue-black, wings orange or dark | Very painful but rarely used | Tarantula hawks |
| Baldfaced hornet | About 3/4 in; black with white face | Nest in trees | Baldfaced hornets |
| Pigeon horntail | Hornet colors, thick body, no waist | Cannot sting | None needed |
| Carpenter or bumble bee | Fuzzy, about 3/4 in | Low unless handled | Carpenter bees |
AgriLife names the cicada killer and the pigeon horntail as the two likeliest mistakes.
Hot summers and a creek that is mostly dry #
All four U.S. nests, found in Washington in 2020 and 2021, were inside alder tree cavities. Cibolo's setting looks nothing like that. The San Antonio River Authority's Cibolo Creek study reports that at its Selma gauge, the creek has no flow at all about 90% of the time, though it can carry more than 20,000 cubic feet per second when it does run (SARA master plan).
Texas A&M entomologists have written that the state is a poor fit for this hornet, citing our open plains and summer heat.
Why the scares start on Cibolo lawns #
Census survey data shows that 90.1% of Cibolo's homes are single-family detached houses, which means most households have their own lawn and garden beds. Cicada killers dig in exactly that kind of ground: bare or thin, well-drained soil in full sun. When a female 1.5 inches long hauls a cicada across the grass, it is easy to see why people reach for the "murder hornet" headlines.
AgriLife says control of cicada killers is rarely warranted, because they are beneficial and seldom sting. Don't kill one out of fear of a species that is not here.
If you still suspect a giant hornet #
- Photograph it from a distance.
- Send it in with Texas A&M's Entomology Insect ID form; that is the route TAIS gives.
- For hornets raiding a honey bee hive, TAIS wants a direct call (979-321-5827) or an email to [email protected].
What Pest Trappers can do #
We cannot confirm a giant hornet; that belongs to Texas A&M. What we can do is identify the real insect on your property and deal with nests that are a hazard. A technician inspects first, explains the options, follows the product label and quotes a price once the walk-through is done. The company, Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), is family-owned and licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the office will confirm your visit time. See our giant hornet guide for more, or the Cibolo service page for the full list of pests we handle in town.