Murder Hornets!

[JayFramer]

Well... the Asian Giant Hornet is starting to invade the US:

These kill about 40 people every year in Japan alone. One of the most aggressive and dangerous insects known. They are massive, with a sting described as ungodly painful. Not only that, but they go into a “slaughter phase” against honey bee hives were they bite all their heads off and murder the entire hive of bees. They are expected to spread exponentially across the country and are a dire threat to our honeybee population.

Just another of the latest wonderful things from the Far East we’ve gotten to enjoy lately. So next time you’re mowing the grass and you see an enormous 2” yellow wasp...

RUN.

 

[LVSteve]

Well... the Asian Giant Hornet is starting to invade the US:

Only because some stupid human failed to do their job that was keeping them out or allowed them to hitchhike here on a ship or aircraft.

 

[JayFramer]

Only because some stupid human failed to do their job that was keeping them out or allowed them to hitchhike here on a ship or aircraft.

Either that or they’ve developed interdimensional wormhole teleportation technology.

If that’s the case, GOD HELP US ALL.

But your theory is probably correct, yes.

 

[steveno]

if it ain't one thing it is another

 

[oldbrownhat]

Either that or they’ve developed interdimensional wormhole teleportation technology.

If that’s the case, GOD HELP US ALL.

But your theory is probably correct, yes.

These days, YOUR theory (JF) could well be right.

My gf in Bellinghmam WA has seen them in her garden, although not yet this year, and they are scary. There's an article from the local paper here. From a previous article, the first one was seen in Dec. in Blaine.

About the size of an adult thumb,Vespa mandariniais the world’s largest hornet. It’s usually not aggressive toward humans unless disturbed but its powerful sting is painful, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Vespa= "hornet" in Latin & Italian; like the iconic Italian motorbike. Nearly as big, too Not sure about "mandarinia" but I wouldn't be surprised if it's related to the high-ranking Chinese official, ie THE BOSS!

... So next time you’re mowing the grass and you see an enormous 2” yellow wasp...

... you're gonna wish you were carrying your Taurus Judge.

 

[crazyphil]

Last time I was killing weeds in my back yard I was attacked by hornets.
I gave them a spray of the Roundup. I guess they didn't like it because
they haven't been back.

 

[vigil617]

Well... the Asian Giant Hornet is starting to invade the US:

These kill about 40 people every year in Japan alone. One of the most aggressive and dangerous insects known. They are massive, with a sting described as ungodly painful. Not only that, but they go into a “slaughter phase” against honey bee hives were they bite all their heads off and murder the entire hive of bees. They are expected to spread exponentially across the country and are a dire threat to our honeybee population.

Just another of the latest wonderful things from the Far East we’ve gotten to enjoy lately. So next time you’re mowing the grass and you see an enormous 2” yellow wasp...

RUN.

These little devils not only decapitate honeybees, they also carry the heads back and feed them to their young.

Apparently, the honeybee varieties in Japan have adapted to the murder hornets by forming a ball around an invader and raising the temperature in the hives to 115 degrees by beating their wings. The hornets can't stand the heat, and perish.

I, for one, am glad that there is already a caliber for these monsters:

 

[JayFramer]

I keep hearing they are “not aggressive towards humans.”

Well they KILL about FORTY PEOPLE EVERY YEAR in Japan. Seems plenty aggressive to me!!

Very sickening to learn they carry honeybee heads back to be fed to their young. How ghastly!!

 

[NYlakesider]

If there that big RAID will not kill them fast, you will need a flamethrower!

I have used those long range nest killer sprays to take bees and hornets out of the air (think skeet shooting) but wonder about these monsters!

 

[oldbrownhat]

...Apparently, the honeybee varieties in Japan have adapted to the murder hornets by forming a ball around an invader and raising the temperature in the hives to 115 degrees by beating their wings. The hornets can't stand the heat, and perish.

Interesting! As they say, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the... garden."

I, for one, am glad that there is already a caliber for these monsters

No- that round merely simulates the pain of being stung by one From the above story of the Japanese bees, what you need is a flamethrower! (I see NYLakesider beat me to that one)

 

[oldbrownhat]

I have used those long range nest killer sprays to take bees and hornets out of the air (think skeet shooting) but wonder about these monsters!

The comparison with skeet shooting ends when you remember that, unlike hornets, the clay targets don't attack you if you miss!

 

[NYlakesider]

The comparison with skeet shooting ends when you remember that, unlike hornets, the clay targets don't attack you if you miss!

For the most part! Those hornets do not have a sense of humor, you miss and it could get interesting.


OBTW I have been attacked a couple times by low house station 8 that did not get completely broken up.

 

[Camster]

Time for .22 shot shells.

 

[dockmurgw]

Only because some stupid human failed to do their job that was keeping them out or allowed them to hitchhike here on a ship or aircraft.

if my boss told me to go look for bugs I think I would go to Home Depot and get a job wearing an orange Homer vest.

 

[LCC]

high pressure soaker gun and than a boot heel...

 

[kamloops67]

Im sure people will be mistaking carpenter wasps for murder hornets now

 

[loknload]

Is this going to become the “New Norm” ?

 

[PALADIN85020]

Thanks for the heads up. I have a 12 gauge Remington 870 loaded with #9 shot shells at the ready... I'll also look for an industrial-strength fly swatter to carry with me on my walks.

John

 

[yaktamer]

These little devils not only decapitate honeybees, they also carry the heads back and feed them to their young.

I think you might have it backwards. The article I read said they carry the thoraxes back, not the heads.

 

[oldbrownhat]

I think you might have it backwards. The article I read said they carry the thoraxes back, not the heads.

Well, THAT'S a relief! I was getting downright uneasy for a while there

There's a recent document on these from the USDA here.
Danged things flew in illegally from British Columbia!

"On 8 December, 2019, a Blaine, Washington resident reported finding a large, dead hornet on his property (McGann, 2019). The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) identified this specimen as Vespa mandarinia, the Asian giant hornet, and the National Identification Services (NIS) confirmed the identification (AGH Response Team, 2020). The Washington detection followed the eradication of a V. mandarinia nest in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada on 18 September, 2019 (Ministry of Agriculture, 2019). These were the first detections of the Asian giant hornet in North America. Beekeepers have reported other observations dating back to October through public outreach campaigns by Washington State and British Columbia..."

"...After catching its prey, a hornet will decapitate it, chew the more muscular portions of the thorax into a ball, and then fly back to the nest..."

Well, that's kinda put me off my breakfast now.