'Murder Hornets' in US For The First Time; Know About The Largest Wasps That Kill Almost 50 Humans Per Year!
Asian giant hornets which are nicknamed as 'Murder hornets' have been spotted in the United States and Canada for the first time. These are large insects which have toxic venom and they can create a slaughter of bees! The sighting of these insects in the US, which are native to East Asian climates, has created some panic in the scientific community.
Amid the ongoing scare of Coronavirus pandemic which has severely affected the United States, another not so pleasant update has come in. Asian giant hornets which are nicknamed as 'Murder hornets' have been spotted in the United States and Canada for the first time. These are large insects which have toxic venom and they can create a slaughter of bees! The sighting of these insects in the US, which are native to East Asian climates, has created some panic in the scientific community. People have been warned to stay aware of these stinging insects. German Entomologists Predict an Insect Apocalypse, Bugs Dying off At Alarming Rate.
The murder hornets are about double the size of honeybees. These insects have a stinger filled with venom of neurotoxin, that can cause cardiac arrest and anaphylactic shock. As reported in the New York Times, a beekeeper from Vancouver Island was recently attacked by a swarm of these insects and was stung repeatedly. But he was lucky to have survived. He was quoted to the report, "It was like having red-hot thumbtacks being driven into my flesh." He was bleeding a lot after the attack. It is not yet clear from where these insects must have come to the US. Some have also been spotted north of the border in British Columbia. Video of Mysterious Looking Insect Goes Viral, Twitterati Marvels at Nature's Creation of 'Lichen Katydid'.
As per the Washington State Department of Agriculture, "The stinger of the Asian giant hornet is longer than that of a honeybee and the venom is more toxic than any local bee or wasp." They have warned people that typical beekeeping protective clothing is not enough to protect from these wasps. They attack when they are threatened. While they may not attack humans as much as they would target bees and their hives. Wasps Are Weaving 'Super Nests' as Big as Volkswagen Beetle in Alabama, Warn Entomologists (View Pic).
Scientists are more concerned that these insects will wipe out the bee population which is a severe danger to the environment. They will also affect the honey production industry. These ferocious insects can destroy a hive in just hours. Entomologists are now working on a plan to trap these insects before they breed and become widely established in the region.
What Are Murder Hornets?
Double the size of honeybees, the Asian giant hornets are largest of the wasps. They have a yellow and orange head with a wingspan of 3 inches. Also called as the yak-killer hornet, is the world's largest hornet, native to temperate and tropical Eastern Asia. It feeds on larger insects and their colonies. They are known for decimating honeybees. They are geographically distributed in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka. It is more common in the rural areas of Japan. They live in low mountain foothills and forests, but a very dominant species.
They immediate effects of their venomous sting can cause cardiac arrest or serious allergic reaction leading to death. Cases are rare where patients died of multiple organ failure. They are nicknamed 'murder hornets' because they kill about 50 people per year, as per reports.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 03, 2020 09:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).