Giant murder hornet nest ‘eradicated by brave workers in protective suits’ after killer insects found in Washington
A NEST containing hundreds of deadly, giant-sized Asian “murder hornets” has been discovered in the US for the first time.
The terrifying giant wasps were first spotted in Washington State last year – leaving experts to fear the insects may pose a serious threat to the honey bee population.
The world’s largest hornet, at 2 inches, murder hornets can wipe out an entire honey bee hive in a matter of hours[/caption] People in protective suits extracted the deadly wasps from a nest in a tree, which was said to hold around 200 of the giant insects[/caption]But now, entomologists at the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) say they have found the first Murder Hornet nest of its kind in the US.
The nest was found in Blaine, north of Seattle near the Canadian border, prompting a huge extraction operation.
A team of people in protective suits was pictured destroying the nest of the deadly species on Saturday.
The deadly pests were nesting in a tree – with “dozens of the hornets” coming in and out of it, the WSDA said.
Scientists caught two live hornets using a trap on Wednesday, and another two on Thursday.
They were able to attach tiny tracking devices to three of the trapped pests, which led them to the nest on Thursday.
People in protective suits destroyed the nest of the deadly species on Saturday[/caption]In a statement, the WSDA said: “Using a network of traps, some set by WSDA staff and hundreds more placed by citizen scientists and other cooperators throughout the state, the entomologists have been diligently tracking sightings of the Asian giant hornet in an ongoing effort to find nests to eliminate them.”
Washington State University entomologist David Crowder warned that if action is not taken, the species could spread “rapidly” across the country.
The world’s largest hornet, at 2 inches, the apex predator can kill an entire honey bee hive in just hours and pose another threat to the ecosystem if they become established over several years.
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For humans, Asian murder hornets can kill humans with a single excruciating sting.
In Japan, the hornet’s native country, the insects kill around 50 people each year.
Experts are advising people to use caution near the insects and not attempt to remove or eradicate nests themselves.