17 votes

First nest of Asian giant "murder hornets" in the US found in Washington state

2 comments

  1. [2]
    spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Also, from May: The Rush to Stop the Asian Giant Hornet (and Tildes discussion)

    At up to two inches long, Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest hornets, and their potent stinger can deliver agonizingly painful venom. In Japan, the hornets kill up to 50 people a year.

    In Washington State, officials have been trying to find a nest quickly because the hornets are about to enter their “slaughter phase.” That’s when they attack beehives in force, removing and decapitating every bee inside and then harvesting the brood and pupae for food.

    To eradicate the nest, Mr. Spichiger said, officials plan to fill the tree hollow with foam and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Officials will then vacuum the hornets into a canister and save some of them for research, he said.

    Mr. Spichiger said members of the elimination crew would wear thick white suits with rubber gloves and boots as well as face shields that can protect them from the hornets’ venom, which can cause debilitating eye injuries.

    “They will be stinging the suits and, hopefully, they will not go all the way through,” he said. “We will find out tomorrow morning whether they really work.”

    Also, from May: The Rush to Stop the Asian Giant Hornet (and Tildes discussion)

    7 votes
    1. Grzmot
      Link Parent
      Importing foreign species into an ecosystem is always a terrible idea. Hornets luckily already exist in our parts, so maybe it's not as bad? But still, the Asian giant hornets might still not find...

      Importing foreign species into an ecosystem is always a terrible idea. Hornets luckily already exist in our parts, so maybe it's not as bad? But still, the Asian giant hornets might still not find sufficient challenge in this ecosystem and subsequently ruin it.

      How did they even get into the US?

      2 votes