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The insects, which measure up to five centimeters, can destroy an entire hive in a matter of hours.
In the northwestern United States, some specimens of the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia), which is dangerous to honey bees, have been sighted for the first time. They were found in the winter of 2019 near Blaine and Bellingham on the Canadian border, the Washington State Department of Agriculture said. Previously, there were some sightings on the Canadian side in the fall.
Some of the insects, up to five centimeters in size, were enough to destroy an entire hive in a matter of hours: they decapitate their prey. Special traps would now be used to prevent invaders, also known as “killer hornets,” from spreading and to protect domestic bees, the New York Times reported. “This is our chance to prevent them from settling here. If we can’t do it for years to come, we probably won’t be able to do it at all,” insect researcher Chris Looney told the newspaper.
Vespa mandarinia is the largest species of hornet in the world. It generally doesn’t attack people, but it can if it feels threatened, according to the Washington Department of Agriculture. Its sting is longer and its venom more toxic than that of bees. It can also stab multiple times and also be dangerous to people due to allergic reactions. According to the “New York Times”, there are around 50 deaths each year in Japan due to bites from the Asian giant hornet. How the specimens got to North America is unclear. They may have been towed aboard a ship, he said.
(APA / DPA)
