Posted on 08/02/2020 7:41:58 PM PDT by 11th_VA
As the US grapples with the world's worst coronavirus outbreak, a new threat is emerging as Asian giant hornets – known as “murder hornets” due to their lethal sting to humans – are gaining a foothold in the country.
After they were first found in Washington State in May this year, the 2-inch (5cm)-long hornets have now been trapped for the first time – giving officials an indication – firstly that their traps work, and secondly of where nests could be situated.
Now authorities in Washington State have until mid-September to try and eradicate the invasive species before the breeding season begins.
Multiple stings are deadly to humans and in Asia the hornets are estimated to kill 50 people a year.
During the hornet’s “slaughter phase” they kill bees, feeding the bodies to their young.
Honey bee populations in the US have declined by 60 per cent since the mid 20th century, largely due to habitat loss and use of pesticides, according to Greenpeace USA...
WSDA said its next steps are to search for nests using infrared cameras and place additional traps in order to catch live Asian giant hornet specimens.
Special traps intended to trap hornets but keep them alive will be used. If they catch live hornets, the department will attempt to tag and track them back to their colony. Once located, the agency will eradicate the colony.
Officials said they hope to find and destroy the nest by mid-September before the colony would begin creating new reproducing queens and drones.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Reminds me of an old Johnny Carson monolog.
“They can find 2 fruit flies but can’t seem to find 100k illegals”
I’ve taken a 12 gauge to a couple of nests. One in a tree, the other in the ground. Seemed to work just fine.
Is this a new type of “honey trap”? Both the Democrat Party and KGB/SVR are great at that.
Fauci’s new quote re bees is “To bee or not to bee on the cover of Time as their man of the century”.
Man of the Century WHAT THE HELL has this man actually DONE EVER!! He is a DC bureaucrat that has NEVER in his career treated a patient OMG I can hardly stand this CRAP anymore!!
it’s the border wall that has trapped them- see? Tear down this wall!
liberals will yell=-
Maybe they’re breeding them in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Area Of Sabotage (CHAOS).
Does this mean that we are all going to die tonight ? ??
If you wait until dusk you can get them all with no buzzing around and you get the satisfying plops as they fall to the ground. I got 35 yellow jackets at their nest outside my office window. I see it’s being recolonized. I’ll visit them soon
The "Hornet Horn", which when blown forces "murder hornets" to fly directly into the path of oncoming 18 wheeler trucks on the interstate and kill themselves.
Soon as these are ready for TV ordering we'll be offering a SECOND "Wasp WHistle" or "Hornet Horn" FREE with your order... simply pay handling costs!
I work in the forests of Washington quite often and perhaps every other day out in the field we scare up a ground nest of hornets. And perhaps 1/4 of those times a few stings but nothing to worry about. Just mark the area and stay clear by 6 feet or so.
I do admit I’m a bit concerned about ever coming across an Asian Hornet nest. One of the first articles I read showed a wasp nest up in a tree and I was relieved. But, come to find out that was just some stupid reporter - these guys build their nests in the ground.
“”During the hornet’s “slaughter phase” they kill bees, feeding the bodies to their young.
Honey bee populations in the US have declined by 60 per cent since the mid 20th century, largely due to habitat loss and use of pesticides, according to Greenpeace USA...””
If that’s a problem then just get more honey bee’s, they’re not native to the US anyway. We’ve got over 4,000 species of bee’s native to the US, the European Honey bee is not one of them.
estimated to kill 50 people a year
“I know. Whatever happened to those Africanized bees? I think they were found in the United States, as well.”
They’ve been here for a very, long time. As a beekeeper I can only hope they never make their way up to Virginia.
“These hornets have 1/4 inch long stingers “
These are Asian hornets. Don’t you mean 6mm stingers?
“They’re insects. Its always breeding season.”
Wrong. Hornets, similar to honey bees, mate once in the spring and it lasts for the queen’s life. The hornets’ life is one year. Honey bee queen can live several, but still only mates once.
“Honey bee populations in the US have declined by 60 per cent since the mid 20th century, largely due to habitat loss and use of pesticides, according to Greenpeace USA...”
Also due to fewer and fewer beekeepers. I’m one of the last in my area and there used to be dozens :(
Don't bug me!
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