OLYMPIA, Wash. (KOMO) — Entomologists with the state Department of Agriculture have trapped their first Asian giant hornet this month.

The hornet, also nicknamed a "murder hornet" due to their ruthless way of killing honeybees by decapitation, was trapped on or before July 14 near Birch Bay near the Canadian border and was identified on July 29 as the traps were processed.

Officials say it's the first such hornet to be found in a trap in Washington, as opposed to first five other sightings that were found in the wild.

“This is encouraging because it means we know that the traps work,” Sven Spichiger, managing entomologist for the department, said in a news release. “But it also means we have work to do."

Entomologists will now search for the live nests using infrared cameras and set more traps with the intention of trapping the hornets alive. That would allow them to tag the hornets and hopefully trace them back to their colonies where they could be eradicated.

"WSDA hopes to find and destroy the nest by mid-September before the colony would begin creating new reproducing queens and drones," officials wrote. "Until that time, the colony will only contain the queen and worker Asian giant hornets. Destroying the nest before new queens emerge and mate will prevent the spread of this invasive pest."

Officials say it's likely more of the hornets will be spotted in August and September. You can report sightings to agr.wa.gov/hornets.

Adults can be nearly two inches long, have a distinctly light-orange head with prominent black eyes, a black thorax and a black-and-yellow striped abdomen. Although it is not typically aggressive toward humans, the state Department of Agriculture says this monster hornet can inflict a powerful sting.

Asian giant hornets nest in the ground. They are typically dormant over the winter, and are most often seen from July through October. The first one in Washington was reported on Dec. 8 in Blaine.

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