Deadly, Invasive “Murder Hornets” Reported in the U.S.

“Murder hornets” were spotted for the first time ever in the U.S. Otherwise known as Asian giant hornets, they are an extremely venomous and invasive species. They are the world’s largest hornets, at two inches long, and can kill humans if stung multiple times. In fact, they’re known to kill upwards of 50 people a year in Japan. They are also known to decapitate entire colonies of honey bees in just a few hours. Beekeepers in Washington have already reported alarming numbers of dead honey bees. It’s unclear at this moment how the hornets got here, but if their population is not eradicated by the end of this summer, they may continue to breed with disastrous consequences to both humans and American bees alike. The threat of extinction to the honey bee is now higher than ever since they are not adapted to fight off these predators.