The US successfully eradicated killer hornets

The Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest hornet, nicknamed “killer bee” because of its dangerous sting and ability to destroy entire honeybee hives in just a few hours. The US announced it had successfully eradicated this species of bees five years after they were first discovered in Washington state near the Canadian border. This is a “rare victory” for humans over insects, according to Independent.

Washington State and the US Department of Agriculture announced the results of eliminating invasive hornets on December 18 and said no bees had been detected in Washington since 2021. This was a great success when residents agreed to place trap in private homes and report sightings. The researchers also captured a live bee, attached a tiny radio tracking tag to it, and followed it through the woods to the nest on a hornbeam tree. They destroyed the nest just as some queen bees began to emerge.

“I’ve been working in the field of entomology for more than 25 years and this is the rare time that humans have truly triumphed over insects,” said Sven Spichiger, pest program manager at the Washington State Department of Agriculture. .

Asian giant hornets, which can be 5cm long, attracted attention in 2013 when they killed 42 people in China and seriously injured 1,675. In the United States, about 72 people die from wasp stings each year, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.

The hornets were first encountered in North America in British Columbia, Canada, in August 2019 and confirmed in Washington state in December 2019, when a Whatcom County resident reported the problem. One beekeeper said hives were attacked during the summer of 2020. The hornets may have migrated to North America through plant pots or shipping containers.

DNA evidence shows that bee populations found in British Columbia and Washington are unrelated and appear to originate from different countries. In British Columbia, there have been no confirmed reports of the hornets since 2021. The non-profit organization Invasive Species in Canada said the hornets may have been wiped out there as well.

Giant hornets pose a serious threat to pollinators and native insects. They can massacre a honey bee nest in 90 minutes, cut off the honey bee’s head, then take over the nest, using them to raise their young. It can sting through protective suits, inject 7 times more venom than a honey bee and sting multiple times.

Washington is the only state to confirm the presence of the hornets. Trappers found four nests in 2020 and 2021. According to Spichiger, state authorities will continue to remain vigilant. Entomologists will continue to monitor traps in Kitsap County.