Murder Hornets Infesting

Asian giant hornets, also know as “murder hornets,” are originally from Asia, but have been invading other places around the world. They first came over to the United States in August 2019. 

Places around the world are trying to get rid of them by destroying the nests. Washington discovered and removed the first known murder hornet nest in the United States. The nest was about 14 inches long and at least 8 inches wide. There were about 500 hornets in that nest, which is a concern because they can be deadly to humans if stung repeatedly.

Japan reported that nearly 50 people were killed by these hornets. The venom can destroy red blood cells, causing kidney damage or even multiple organs to fail. Many of those deaths were the result of anaphylactic shock. 

Murder hornets also threaten the honey bee population, which can in turn destroy the honey and beeswax industry and cause the loss of billions of dollars. The FDA stated that, “Honey bees are like flying dollar bills buzzing over U.S. crops.”

It is important that these pests get taken care of as soon as possible.