Asian Giant “Murder Hornet” Found For First Time In The U.S.
The Asian Giant Hornet has been a predatory hornet found in parts of Asia. But now, that hornet has found its way to the United States for the first time, and it's nicknamed the "Murder Hornet."
According to The New York Times, two giant hornets were found in Washington State. Jeff Kornelis found a dead hornet on his front porch and contacted the state, where they confirmed it was an Asian Giant Hornet.
A local beekeeper also found one of the hornets.
Chris Looney, an entomologist at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, now knows that they have a serious problem but since the hornets were found in the winter, it's still unknown how much of a presence they have in North America.
The Asian Giant Hornet can be two inches long and wipe out entire beehives within hours. They also have poisonous venom, with stingers that can penetrate a beekeeping suit.
The hornets are also deadly for humans. They can kill up to 50 people a year in Japan.
The hornets have orange and black stripes that extend down its body like a tiger and broad, wispy wings like a small dragonfly.
The goal is to not let these hornets infiltrate here in America.
“This is our window to keep it from establishing,” said Chris Looney. “If we can’t do it in the next couple of years, it probably can’t be done.”
Out of all the years for this to happen, of course, it's 2020, right?