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WASHINGTON (AP) – A team of entomologists in full-body protective gear sucked Asian giant hornets from a tree in Washington state on Saturday (Oct. 24), eradicating the first nest of so-called killer hornets found in the United States.
The state agriculture department said it had spent weeks searching for and catching hornets, which attack bee hives and could pose a threat to humans because they can repeatedly sting with a venom that is stronger than that of a bee.
An entomologist with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) completes an operation to remove a colony of Asian giant hornets by vacuuming from a tree after they were discovered near Blaine, Washington, on October 24, 2020 (Photo: Reuters / WSDA / Handout).
State entomologists found the nest near the town of Blaine near the Canadian border on Thursday and returned Saturday in protective suits and gloves to perform the extraction.
“Got them. He vacuumed several #AsianGiantHornets from a tree cavity near Blaine this morning,” the agriculture department said on Twitter, adding that more details would be provided at a news conference Monday.
Entomologists with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) begin an operation to eliminate a colony of Asian giant hornets on October 24, 2020 (Photo: Reuters / WSDA / Handout).
The largest hornet in the world, it can grow up to 6.4 cm long and is native to Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan. It was first discovered in the United States in December by an owner in Blaine.
In addition to the danger to humans, the hornet poses a threat to agriculture and the hive industry, authorities have said, because it is a known predator of honey bees, with some hornets capable of killing an entire hive in hours.
A radio tracking device installed by entomologists from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is seen on an Asian giant hornet near Blaine. (Photo: Reuters)
