What is a “Murder” hornet?
“The Asian giant hornet is a big, mean-looking insect with a potent sting. Their queens can grow to be up to two inches long and their quarter-inch stingers can pierce normal beekeeping attire. They are also voracious predators capable of massacring entire honey bee hives in a matter of hours—decapitating thousands of the hive’s adult bees and absconding with the helpless larvae to feed the hornets’ own brood”, according to SmithsonianMag.
How dangerous is the ‘Murder Hornet’?
“The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) has arrived in North America. In the past several days, photographs and videos have surfaced showing how viciously this insect has attacked honeybees: it crawls into hives and rips off the heads of bees in large numbers—making its supervillain nickname, “murder hornet,” feel disturbingly apt. Government agencies and local beekeepers have sprung into action, hoping to eradicate the hornet before it can consolidate a foothold in the continent. Success may lie in how predator and prey interact naturally.” source – Scientific American
Products to guard yourself against Asian hornet
How big are the killer hornets?
“The hornet has a body length of 45 mm (1.8 in), a wingspan around 75 mm (3.0 in), and a stinger 6 mm (1⁄4 in) long, which injects a large amount of potent venom.” source – Wikipedia
How many hornet stings can kill you?
Unlike bees, killer wasps do not die after one sting. They can, and will continue to sting you several times.
“While being stung by one wasp isn’t normally dangerous, 30 or 40 stings could kill you.” source – BBC
Simple steps you can take to protect yourself against the murder hornets
Are oriental hornets aggressive?
“Asian hornets are mostly black with only the last segment of their bodies being yellowy/orange. They have yellowish legs that are slightly smaller than European hornets. Their sting is no more powerful than a European hornet’s but are they considered more aggressive in that they can attack even if they are not themselves being threatened. One Asian hornet can also sting several times.” source – TheLocal.fr
Have the killer hornets reached the US?
“The hornets, which were detected in Washington state, prey on bees and are known for ripping the heads off honeybees by the thousands, The New York Times reported on May 2. Enormous curved stingers and powerful venom make the hornets uniquely dangerous to humans, and their stings are responsible for as many as 50 deaths in Japan each year, mostly due to allergic reactions to the venom, according to the Times.” source – LifeScience