Trending now: Hornets, arrests and weekend fun – FOX 5 Atlanta

Trending now: Hornets, arrests and weekend fun  FOX 5 Atlanta

State agriculture officials continue efforts to track and eradicate invasive yellow-legged hornets across Georgia as warm temperatures prolong insect activity. ATLANTA – State agriculture officials continue efforts to track and eradicate invasive yellow-legged hornets across Georgia as warm temperatures prolong insect activity. The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Plant Protection team found 1,310 yellow-legged hornets and 33 nests during September. To track the pest's spread, state teams deployed 32 new traps during the month, bringing the total number of actively monitored traps across Georgia to 8,228. According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture's yellow-legged hornet eradication map, teams have eradicated 119 nests just this year alone. Recent research from the University of Georgia indicates coastal wind patterns are assisting the species' northward spread, while new dietary findings show the hornets are preying on a wide variety of native pollinators in addition to honeybees.

PREVIOUS STORY: How wind and diet are helping invasive hornets spread across Georgia An invasive yellow-legged hornet nest. Georgia Department of Agriculture crews are actively locating nests to protect the state's agriculture and honeybee populations. (Credit: Georgia Department of Agriculture) Agriculture is Georgia's top industry and primary economic driver, and the state leads the nation in the production of several key crops. Yellow-legged hornets pose a direct threat to that industry by preying heavily on honeybees and other