SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Scientists in Washington state have discovered the first nest of so-called murder hornets in the United States and plan to wipe it out Saturday to protect native honeybees. The state Agriculture Department said Friday that it found the nest of Asian giant hornets north of Seattle after trapping some of the insects this week and using dental floss to attach radio trackers. The world’s largest hornets can decimate entire hives of honeybees and deliver painful stings to people. Despite their nickname, the hornets kill at most a few dozen people a year in Asian countries, while other bugs cause more deaths in the U.S. The real threat is their devastating attacks on already at-risk honeybees.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In photo provided by the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture, workers hold an antenna as they follow an Asian Giant Hornet wearing a tracking device, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 near Blaine, Wash. Scientists have discovered the first nest of so-called murder hornets in the United States and plan to wipe it out Saturday to protect native honeybees, officials in Washington state said Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. (Karla Salp/Washington Dept. of Agriculture via AP)
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