A NEST of Asian “murder hornets” was discovered in Washington State because of concerns that the population of the killer insect could increase.
It comes less than two weeks after a deadly live hornet was first sighted in the state this year – with a small group of the critters capable of wiping out an entire beehive in a matter of hours.
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A nest of “murder hornets” was discovered in the state of WashintonCredit: AP
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Asian giant hornets can wipe out an entire beehive in just a few hoursPhoto credit: Reuters
The nest was found in a rural eastern area of Blaine, just a quarter of a mile from a live hornet that attacked a paper wasp nest on August 11th.
Members of the Washington State Department of Agriculture team net and tagged three hornets with trackers – one of which successfully led the team to the nest.
They are now working to exterminate the nest in the coming days
However, there are concerns that there may be more nests in the area and the WSDA is urging people to report any sightings.
Asian giant hornets, the largest hornets in the world, are not native to the USA and prey on honeybees and other insects that are already threatened with extinction.
The killer creatures can tear through human skin with their sharp jaws, and multiple stings have been known to kill people.
Scientists have been warning for months that the killer species poses a threat to public health.
Dr. Samuel Ramsey told WUSA: “It is a very large insect. About the size of your thumb.
“It has these very sharp, big mandibles attached to these really big muscles that allow it to chew through a lot of different fabrics.
“They can chew through the skin and they have a really long sting too.”
A small group of hornets can destroy a beehive in just a few hours, while their toxic venom can destroy human cells and send signals of constant pain to the nerves.
The dangerous insects kill up to 50 people a year in their home country, Japan.
They are over two inches long and can fly at speeds of 20 miles per hour.
Hundreds of “murder hornets” were sighted in Washington state last year.
A basketball-sized nest was found last October containing nearly 500 insects.
Officials quickly sealed off the nest, believing it may have prevented 200 new ones from developing.
This latest nest discovery comes just months after a hornet was found north of Seattle.
The predator was found on a Snohomish County’s lawn in June, and experts believe the pest was from an earlier season.
