Murder Hornets land in the US

[Black Orchid]

Even as the US remains under attack from the coronavirus outbreak, a new terror has arrived: "murder hornets".

The 2-inch long Asian giant hornets have landed in the US for the first time, spotted on the west coast.

Multiple stings are deadly to humans and in their "slaughter phase" the hornets destroy honeybees, whose bodies they feed to their young.

Scientists are now on a hunt for the hornets, hoping to eradicate the species before they wipe out US bees.

Though they typically avoid people, in Asia, "murder hornet" stings are thought to cause as many as 50 human fatalities a year, according to the New York Times.

The hornets made their first North American appearance in August 2019, in British Columbia, Canada. Months later, in December 2019, the flying insects were reported south of the border, in Washington State.

Washington State University (WSU) are unsure how or when the hornet first arrived in North America, but beekeepers in the region have reported gruesome hive deaths in recent months. Scientists are bracing for further emergence of the species, which begins its life cycle in spring.

https://www.bbc.com/news/52533585

These giant killers can each kill 40 bees a minute. 30 murder hornets can kill a hive of 30,000 bees in a very short time. They are 2 inches long and decimate bee hives.

Protect our bees we don't want these things here. Another 'gift' from Asia.

[Texan]

Even as the US remains under attack from the coronavirus outbreak, a new terror has arrived: "murder hornets".

The 2-inch long Asian giant hornets have landed in the US for the first time, spotted on the west coast.

Multiple stings are deadly to humans and in their "slaughter phase" the hornets destroy honeybees, whose bodies they feed to their young.

Scientists are now on a hunt for the hornets, hoping to eradicate the species before they wipe out US bees.

Though they typically avoid people, in Asia, "murder hornet" stings are thought to cause as many as 50 human fatalities a year, according to the New York Times.

The hornets made their first North American appearance in August 2019, in British Columbia, Canada. Months later, in December 2019, the flying insects were reported south of the border, in Washington State.

Washington State University (WSU) are unsure how or when the hornet first arrived in North America, but beekeepers in the region have reported gruesome hive deaths in recent months. Scientists are bracing for further emergence of the species, which begins its life cycle in spring.

https://www.bbc.com/news/52533585

These giant killers can each kill 40 bees a minute. 30 murder hornets can kill a hive of 30,000 bees in a very short time. They are 2 inches long and decimate bee hives.

Protect our bees we don't want these things here. Another 'gift' from Asia.

I hope we can find a way to get rid of these pests.

I've considered keeping bees, but I don't think Mrs Texan would go for it and I fear it would be a steep learning curve and expensive.

[Black Orchid]

Mechanic has bees, or he did at one time. Mechanic???

I think Sprint has also talked about keeping bees.

[Outlaw Yogi]

I've been thinking about keeping bees quite recently ... a dodgey character who wants some of my steel building materials to scrap is allergic to their sting.
I'm not so much concerned about the honey, but more about fruit pollination.

So I wonder what eats hornets? .. I'll have to look it up.

[Black Orchid]

I've been thinking about keeping bees quite recently ... a dodgey character who wants some of my steel building materials to scrap is allergic to their sting.
I'm not so much concerned about the honey, but more about fruit pollination.

So I wonder what eats hornets? .. I'll have to look it up.

I doubt there are many things that would eat a hornet. If there are they would likely pose a bigger and uglier threat than the hornets themselves. Take cane toads for example (and those who use their pics).

[Mortdooley]

We had a problem with honey bees last year, fortunately we were offered a mutually beneficial solution. A beekeeper and someone who wanted to be a beekeeper came and removed them from our barn. Normally it cost a few hundred dollars to have them removed and if you want a Hive it cost a few hundred to buy one! We traded bee removal for a free Beehive to the person who took them. We later heard that the Hive was doing well at its new location.

I hope the killer hornets concern is overblown. The killer bee scare was.