Murder Hornets Posed A Huge Threat To Bees In America, But They’ve Just Been Officially Wiped Out
Thanks to the efforts of entomologists, the infestation of murder hornets has been cleared. The invasive species was first detected in the North American continent in 2019, causing officials to spring into action immediately and work on eradicating them.
Five years later, their four nests have been destroyed for good. The last confirmed sighting of the largest hornet in the world was in 2021.
“I’ve got to tell you, as an entomologist—I’ve been doing this for over 25 years now, and it is a rare day when the humans actually get to win one against the insects,” said Sven Spichiger, a pest program manager with the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
The murder hornet, also known as the northern giant hornet, is originally from northern parts of Asia, like China and Japan.
They are the largest members of the wasp family, measuring two inches in length. They have a reputation for delivering dangerous, painful stings that have as much venom as a snake.
Each year in Japan, these hornets cause about 30 to 50 human deaths, and not all of them are due to venom allergy.
Furthermore, the giant hornets are known for murdering bees. They can wipe out an entire bee colony in just a matter of hours. Beekeepers have found their hives littered with the bodies of bees, the heads torn from their bodies.
Asian bees have evolved ways to defend themselves from murder hornets. They will swarm onto the hornet and beat their wings until it suffocates from the heat. During the use of this defense strategy, temperatures can get as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, bees in the United States and Europe do not have such weapons in their arsenals. So, murder hornets pose a huge threat to an already declining population of bees and even other local insects.
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Murder hornet sightings are a cause for concern, especially in areas that are dependent on pollinators to fuel the agricultural industry.
In the U.S., the first murder hornet sighting occurred in Whatcom County in northwest Washington, which is located near the Canadian border.
The hornet was in an area that produces millions of pounds of blueberries and raspberries every year. The report came just four months after a murder hornet was identified on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
According to officials, the first murder hornet to reach North America was likely stowed away in plant pots or a shipping container.
These observations launched a number of pest control management strategies. Search grids were created, and traps were set. In addition, thermal cameras were used to scan the forest floor for the colony.
Now, there have been no confirmed sightings of murder hornets within the past three years, and enough time has passed for officials to declare their eradication.
“If the entire community hadn’t stood up and taken action, there is a real good chance that we would just all be living with the northern giant hornet, even for years to come,” said Spichiger.
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