First Live Asian Giant ‘Murder Hornet’ of 2021 Spotted in Washington State in the US, Caught in Action Attacking Wasp Nest (See Pic)
Reports inform that officials have also confirmed the first sighting and it was caught in the act of living up to its name, attacking a wasp nest. According to an official release, the report was submitted by a Whatcom County resident on August 11.
Washington, August 14: The first live Asian giant 'murder hornet' of the year 2021 has been confirmed in Washington in the US by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Reports inform that officials have also confirmed the first sighting and it was caught in the act of living up to its name, attacking a wasp nest. According to an official release, the report was submitted by a Whatcom County resident on August 11.
The WSDA entomologists reviewed and confirmed the report as an Asian giant hornet on August 12. The report included a photograph of an Asian giant hornet attacking a paper wasp nest in a rural area east of Blaine, about 2 miles from where WSDA eradicated the first Asian giant hornet nest in the United States last October.
Looking at the picture that went viral on social media, the hornet was seen exhibiting the same behavior as experts witnessed last year i.e. attacking paper wasp nests. The news was confirmed by Sven Spichiger, the WSDA managing entomologist. “If you have paper wasp nests on your property and live in the area, keep an eye on them and report any Asian giant hornets you see. Note the direction they fly off to as well", he said.
According to the release, the WSDA will be setting live traps in the area in an attempt to catch a live hornet, tag it, and track it back to the nest. The British Columbia government will likewise be setting additional traps in Canada as this detection was approximately half a mile from the U.S./Canadian border. Bigfoot Spotted in Henry County in Virginia, US? Old Photo of the Ape-Like Creature Walking in the Woods Shared With Fake Claim.
There have been reports of Asian giant hornet sightings even in the past. This year, there have only been two confirmed reports in Washington and both were from public reports; there have been no confirmed reports in B.C. While WSDA, cooperators, and the public have set Asian giant hornet traps throughout the state, there have not yet been any detections in traps in 2021.
About Asian Giant Hornets
The Asian giant hornets are an invasive pest not native to the United States of America (USA). They are the world’s largest hornet and prey on honey bees and other insects. These hornets may attack honey bee hives in the late summer or early fall. A small group of Asian giant hornets can kill an entire honey bee hive in a matter of hours.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2021 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).