Asian Giant Hornets In Tahoe?

Whole lotta fuss about giant hornets goin' on. Are there giant hornets in Tahoe?

Photo credit: By Yasunori Koide -
CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63832922

The short answer is No.

I thought I'd consult local entomologist Street Casey. (I know that some of you readers are sticklers for full disclosure, so I'll admit up front that Ms. Casey is fictional.) Having said that, I believe her information to be reliable.

First of all, yes, the giant hornets from Asia that can be as long as two inches are formidable critters. However, the current media buzz is as much sensationalism as anything. They've only been spotted in a couple of places near Vancouver Island. They may never establish a beachhead. And even if they do, it probably won't be as worrisome as the media suggest.

Remember the big uproar about African killer bees? Their rep had us envisioning swarms that would carry away your dachshund.

Remember fire ants? Their rep had us envisioning a future where the only surviving humans would be on submarines.

So don't worry about giant hornets. Especially not in Tahoe, where they'll probably never be. Why?

*They don't like high altitude. And they've not been reported at high altitude anywhere in Asia.

*They are picky eaters, and they mostly only live where they can prey on their preferred food source, which is honey bees. (Adult giant hornets don't actually eat bees themselves, but they kill bees and bring them back to their nests to feed to their children (larva), who apparently love bee steak. We don't have honey bees to speak of in Tahoe, thus Tahoe ain't a good place for giant hornets to set up housekeeping.

So even if the giant hornets make inroads into our continent, don't worry when you come to Tahoe. We have lots of yellow jackets. And they can be pests and hassle you during outdoor picnics. But the next time you are buzzed by a yellow jacket, just think about a hornet three times that size. Yellow jackets will never again seem like that big of a deal.

P.S. For what it's worth, most hornets and wasps are beneficial creatures feeding on flies and other insects that can carry disease. Let's see their good side.