Murder hornets

INVASIVE ASIAN GIANT HORNETS, so-called “murder hornets,” were spotted again this past spring in Washington state close to the Canadian border. The hornets, which were first seen in Canada in September 2019 in Nanaimo, B.C., prey on honeybee hives, where they systematically eat their way through the population. According to Rob Currie, department head of entomology at the University of Manitoba, the “slaughter phase” of the hornet’s life cycle is in August or September, when they attack honeybee colonies. While their appearance is concerning, Currie says mitigation efforts, including tracking the hornets and destroying their nests, are underway.