A radioactive wasp nest was found at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River site in South Carolina. No, you’re not imagining things, and no, this isn’t the start of a Sci-Fi thriller.
DOE employees discovered the nest during a routine inspection at a site that had previously manufactured parts for nuclear bombs. According to the DOE, the nest has been sprayed for wasps and disposed of, stating that there is no present danger to the public.
Discovering a Radioactive Wasp Nest
According to a DOE report, on July 3, 2025, Radiological Control Operation (RCO) found the nest on a stanchion near an onsite tank. Upon discovery, members of the ROC sprayed the nest to kill any wasps inside. The ROC team then tested the nest for radiation and found that it was at a level 10 times higher than the federal regulations.
The report goes on to say that the wasp nest was bagged and then disposed of as radioactive waste. The team then checked the surrounding area and found that nothing else was contaminated, indicating that the wasp nest did not become radioactive from a leak at the facility but was “an onsite legacy.” This means that the site became radioactive when it was fully operational.
However, with disposal, no wasps were found.
Read More: 10 Things You Should Know About Nuclear Fusion
Wasp Building Material
The missing wasps have some area residents, including a watchdog organization, Savannah River Site Watch, concerned. According to an article in the Aiken Standard, the area’s local newspaper, the part of the facility that employees found the nest contains “22 underground carbon steel tanks, with each tank reportedly capable of holding 750,000 to 1.3 million gallons of radioactive waste.”
Knowing what type of wasp nest it was could help us understand how it became radioactive in the first place. Depending on the species, wasps can use dirt and other ground materials to build their nests. If the wasps were picking up materials contaminated with radioactive waste, this could indicate a nearby leak.
More About the Savannah River Site
The Savannah River Site is about 310 square miles and has 43 of these underground tanks. The nest was found near the center of the facility, and according to a statement from the Savannah River Mission Completion, the organization that runs the site, wasps only venture a few hundred yards away from their nest, so it’s likely they won’t harm the public.
Along with that, the Aiken Standard also reports that if there were any wasps found, they would likely have much lower radiation levels than their nest.
Read More: Have Chernobyl Mutations Rewired Evolution?
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Department of Energy. Occurrence Report
Aiken Standard. Radioactive wasps? Yes, but they have been removed from Savannah River Site tank farm.
Associated Press. Radioactive wasp nest found at site where US once made nuclear bombs
A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.
