Seattle scientists recently discovered a dead Asian giant hornet, marking the first time this year we’ve seen the so-called “murder hornets.”
Are murder hornets back?
Per USA Today, the scientists from Washington state and the U.S. Agriculture Department confirmed the first murder hornet in Snohomish County, which is north of Seattle.
- However, the murder hornet appears to be different than the 2019 and 2020 swarm of hornets that came from Canada that created headlines of hysteria (including this one that I wrote). The hornets are not from the same batch.
The newly discovered hornet is the same type of hornet, though, according to USA Today. They originated in Asia and have spread to the U.S.-Canada border. They often threaten honeybees and other hornets.
- “While not particularly aggressive toward humans, their sting is extremely painful and repeated stings, though rare, can kill,” according to USA Today.
Per The New York Times, the hornets “can use mandibles shaped like spiked shark fins to wipe out a honeybee hive in a matter of hours, decapitating the bees and flying away with the thoraxes to feed their young.”
Can murder hornets be stopped?
Yes. Back in 2020 when the first batch of hornets came through, Twitter user Brandon Morse posted a video of a murder hornet being killed by bees. That’s right. The video shows the hornet attacking some bees before the bees swarm the hornet and kill it.
“While the hornets may be much bigger in size compared to the Japanese honeybees, the large number of bees in the hive allows them to gain the advantage and defeat the hornet,” according to Newsweek.
Will more murder hornets return?
Apparently so. Scientists predicted in September 2020 that the Asian murder hornets could come back to the U.S. to establish a new habitat.
- In fact, the scientists said that “if the world’s largest hornet gains a foothold in Washington state, it could spread down much of the West Coast of the United States.”