An invasive species of hornet from Asia has been sighted in North America, prompting fears that the vicious insect could establish itself in the United States and devastate bee populations.
You know what 2020 was missing? Murder Hornets. https://t.co/mDyHsUF8WK
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) May 2, 2020
Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologist Dr. Chris Looney gave a detailed report to the New York Times this weekend outlining the first sightings in North America of the Asian giant hornet, nicknamed “murder hornet,” first spotted in Washington state this past fall. (RELATED: Pentagon Officially Releases US Navy Footage of Three UFOs, Confirms Videos Are Real)
With queens that can grow to two inches long, Asian giant hornets use their mandibles shaped like spiked shark fins to wipe out entire honeybee hives in a matter of hours. They decapitate the bees and fly away with the thoraxes to feed their young.
The murder hornets also have potent venom and stinger that is long enough to puncture a beekeeping suit and makes for an excruciating pain that victims have likened to hot metal driving into their skin. Their venom kills up to 50 people per year in Japan. Famous YouTuber Coyote Peterson has a video in which he gets a brutal sting from one of the hornets.
Dr. Looney said that the sightings present a serious problem and if the hornets establish themselves, they could potentially decimate bee populations. Scientists have embarked on a full scale hunt for the murder hornets
“This is our window to keep it from establishing,” said Looney. “If we can’t do it in the next couple of years, it probably can’t be done.”
In November, a hive was discovered in Vancouver Island, Canada. It was able to be tracked down and exterminated but one of the crew members who was stung in the process described the stings as “like having red-hot thumbtacks being driven into my flesh.”