The human race can't catch a break and so can the honeybees of Washington.
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The Washington State Department of Agriculture confirmed that the first reported sighting of an Asian giant hornet, also known as the murder hornet for their ability to kill honeybees and other insects, was made in the area for 2021. A resident from Blaine spotted the murder hornet, which had its bloody eyes on a nest of paper wasps.
The state agriculture department will set traps to capture a live murder-hornet. They will tag the animal and then follow it back to its nest. The sighting occurred about half a mile (0.80 km) from the U.S. border. Therefore, traps are being set by the British Colombia government.
The hornet's behavior is similar to last year, Sven Spichiger (managing entomologist at the state agriculture department) stated in a press release. If you live on a property with paper wasp nests, be vigilant and report any Asian giants hornets that you see. You should also keep an eye on where they fly to.
The murder hornet was spotted in the area of the state agriculture department, which exterminated the first nest last October. This operation resulted in the extinction of 98 worker-hornets. This week's murder hornet is one of only two reported in Washington this year. The other report was about a dead murderer hornet. British Colombia has yet to see any murder hornets.
The largest species of hornet, or vespa madarinia, is the murder hornet. They can grow up to 2 inches (5.08 cm) in length. They kill honeybees through decapitation when they reach their slaughter phase. A few hornets could decimate a honeybee colony in just a few hours. Honeybees should not be the only ones to be cautious.
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These insects are found in northern India and East Asia. Their stingers are larger than those of honeybees, and their venom can be more dangerous. Although they don't usually attack humans, they can sting if they feel threatened. Stings can cause severe injury or death to humans. Japan's murder hornets can kill up to 50 people per year.
The murder hornet is an invasive species in the United States. They were first discovered in Washington in 2019. Officials have been trying to eradicate them since then. This is because they could become an established species that would negatively impact the environment and economy as well as public health.
