What’s the buzz about murder hornets?
Giant Asian hornet makes its way into the U.S., posing a danger to domestic honey bees
Murder Hornets were recently spotted in the Pacific Northwest but if or when they get to this area, they would likely find our weather less than ideal, a local official said.
On the matter of the hornets being a problem in this area, Dr. David Allard, a biology professor at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, does not believe there is reason for concern at this time.
“This hornet does not like dry areas, tends to favor moist and cool environments,” he said. “It would probably not come here intentionally. If it did, it more likely would have hitchhiked via terra-cotta pots or something similar.”
The hornets, also known as Asian giant hornets , are ground nesting insects. They tend to like old burrows, roots of trees, particularly pine trees. However, that particular nesting pattern could leave the hornets vulnerable to ground dwelling predators known in the area, such as fire ants.
Murder Hornets would likely pose the greatest danger to local bee populations if they arrived, he said.
“The domestic honey bee is a European import that has become acclimated over time to local conditions,” said Allard. “The work bees do in crop pollination alone is worth millions to the agricultural industry.”
Bee keepers take bees out to farms to let them pollinate when the season is right for individual crops.
The Asian giant hornets attack bee hives in their native lands. They behead adult bees with their mandibles and transport the carcasses to their nests. The larvae digest the carcasses and in turn, produce material the adult hornets can feed on.
“So far, there is no record of widespread bee damage from the hornets here,” said Allard. “But authorities are worried about potential damage.”
For questions about protecting honey bees from hornets, contact Washington State University Extension scientist Tim Lawrence at (360) 639-6061 or by email to timothy.lawrence@wsu.edu.
The Murder Hornets have been talked about much in various media of late.
“It was spotted last, it looks like, in Washington State and British Columbia late last year,” Allard said. “As far as I know, it has not been spotted since. But they are on the lookout for it. If anyone sees it, Washington State University wants to know.”
To report an Asian giant hornet sighting, contact the Washington State Department of Agriculture Pest Program at 1-800-4436684, by email to pestprogram@agr.wa.govor online at agr.wa.gov/hornets.
As for how the Asian giant hornet may have gotten to
North America, there is but speculation at this time, Allard said.
“I’ve heard one speculation that some may have hitched a ride in imported terra-cotta pots from Asia,” he said. “There is no evidence at this time that there are established hornet populations in the U.S., just isolated sightings in the Northwest.”
In the hornets’ native Asia, people have been living with them for a very long time.
“One Japanese account describes the sting of this hornet as being like a hot nail driven into one’s leg,” Allard said. “Another called it a migraine in the arm.”
On the pain scale for insect stings ranging from one to four, the Asian giant hornet sting has been placed at two.
“However, because of the length and sharpness of the stinger, it can sting through a normal beekeeper suit,” he said.
As to why it is now making the media rounds, Allard said, “If it bleeds it leads. It can be dangerous, even to humans, via mass sting attack, particularly to a person with allergies. Given the location of the sightings and the preferred environment of the hornet, I don’t see it as a problem anytime soon. Alarmism is a bit overblown. Unless if/when it makes it to this part of the country, it is not worth worrying about. If it did, the main threat would be to the bees.”