Brendan O’Boyle
Staff Writer
While things are already not looking good for the country due to COVID-19, the world’s largest hornet, the “Murder Hornet” has now made an appearance in the Pacific Northwest.
The Asian giant hornet, also known as the Vespa Mandarinia, are a fairly common species in parts of Asia and are known for their size and painful sting. These Hornets were recently discovered to be in North America as headlines about “murder hornets” began to surface across the web. They were discovered in Washington state near the Canadian border and are said to have somehow traveled from Asia.
While the name sounds sinister, some researchers say that most of the headlines about these hornets are misleading. Like the average honey bee, the murder hornets sting can put someone in the hospital if they have an existing allergy. In very rare cases though these stings can be fatal if they are not treated correctly. Officials recommend that if you have a bee allergy you try your best to avoid the nests of these hornets because also like honey bees, they will disturb you if you disturb them. Even if the hornets don’t have a high chance of killing you, the sting is extremely painful.
Sven-Erik Spichiger, the managing entomologist at the Washington state Agriculture Department, released a statement about the hornets:“What we’re told from the literature is that most people can survive one or two stings,” he told Reuters. “But if you sustain multiple stings, the necrosis and the venom will actually start getting into your bloodstream and will start working on your organs. And multiple stings could literally be fatal.”
The majority of experts are surprised that these hornets have arrived in the United States. Back in 2019, a hornet colony was discovered in Canada after they were accidentally shipped in a container to the country. It is very unlikely officials say, for hornets to travel like this though. Right now it is best to just keep a safe distance and stay informed.
