Published 10:41 IST, May 4th 2020
Giant Asian Hornets now invading US; Netizens once bitten-twice shy about their 2020 fears
Giant 'Murder Hornets' were spotted in the US for the first time. Scientists asked to locate the destructive species and exterminate them before they spread.
Adding another woe to the list in 2020, United States has just reported that Asian Giant Hornets have invaded certain pockets of the country and are quickly becoming an internet sensation in their own right. Netizens are promptly calling them 'Murder Hornets'.
These giant 'Murder Hornets' have been spotted in the US for the first time and this is reportedly an issue of great concern to bee-keepers in the country. The new invasive species of giant hornets are touted to be from Asia and have recently been discovered in the State of Washington. Alarmed scientists have been rushing to locate the destructive species and exterminate them before they spread throughout the US and become more challenging to eradicate.
At more than 2 inches long, these insects are reportedly one of the world's largest hornets. According to researchers at Washington State University, the Asian Hornet has a venomous sting that could potentially kill humans (if stung multiple times), which explains 'murder hornets' nickname.
How did they come to the US?
First spotted in December, scientists are still unsure how these giant hornets native to Asia ended up in the US. Seth Trusscott a researcher with WSU's College of Agriculture stated in an interview to a US Daily that hornets are sometimes transported in international cargo deliberately sometimes, to study their behaviour in labs, however, he cautioned that the insects became "active" again in April when 'queens come out of hibernation and build nests and colonies'.
While their stings are not allergic to people, they are far from being the friend of human or wildlife, as hornets are most destructive in summers when they begin their 'slaughter-fest' once they are on the hunt for other bees, larvae and pupae, while aggressively defending their colony. Washington State officials have reportedly asked people to stay vigilant and report all spottings in order to meticulously eradicate their colonies.
Why are they destructive?
Bees generally pollinate plants producing fruit, nuts and vegetables, and are regarded as an essential part of the ecosystem as well as a nation's food industry. These Asian Giant Hornets pose a risk of decimating bee species in its habitat which are already on endangered lists due to their sharply declining numbers.
As the world currently grapples with the upheaval of Coronavirus, netizens have seemingly latched onto a catchy trend of marketing the hornet story with hilarious memes and captions who are equally shocked with the spiralling events of 2020.
Updated 10:41 IST, May 4th 2020