Samantha Barnett

Pacific Daily News

A wasp species not native to Guam was recently discovered for the first time on island, according to University of Guam experts.

The greater banded hornet is about five times the size of the paper wasp, commonly called the boonie bee, that are found on island.

Property owners have located two wasp colonies at sites in Upper Tumon and near Leo Palace Resort in Yona, said Dr. Ross Miller, an entomologist at the University of Guam College of Natural and Applied Sciences.

The hornet is aggressive and could be dangerous to people with bee and wasp allergies as well as to small children unable to quickly get away, Miller said.

The hornet, called Vespa tropica, has a bright yellow band around its abdomen and is found in China, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and the Philippines, according to a press release from the University of Guam.

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The wasps are predators and they raid the nests of other wasp species to take larvae back to their own nests in order to feed their babies, Miller said.

Queen wasps are about 30 millimeters in size and worker wasps are 24 to 26 millimeters, slightly larger than a quarter, the press release states.

While the boonie bee has been on island since World War II, this is the first time the greater banded hornet has been found in Guam or anywhere in the Marianas, Miller said.

University experts don’t yet know how the wasp arrived in Guam, Miller said.

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As two wasp colonies have been located in different parts of the island, it’s possible the wasp is already established in Guam.

The wasps build nests in hollow trees or areas protected from the weather, including underground, the press release stated.

The sting from the large wasp is very painful, according to the press release.

Miller said the College of Natural and Applied Sciences needs the public’s help in locating other possible wasp colonies around the island.

Island residents can call 735-2001 to report a sighting.