The arrival of the “murder hornet” on American soil in 2019 caused concern, particularly for its painful stings and its capacity to decimate entire populations of bees.
The giant Asian hornet, considered by specialists to be the largest in the world and nicknamed by some “murder hornet”was eradicated from the United States, five years after the discovery of this invasive species across the Atlantic. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, no confirmed detections have been reported in the past three years. Its first appearance in 2019 on American soil aroused the fear of beekeepers.
“We are proud of this historic victory in the fight against invasive speciesrejoiced Mark Davidson, deputy of the animal and plant health inspection service of the USDA, in comments relayed by ABC News. The success of this policy demonstrates what is possible when government bodies come together to achieve a common goal.”
In the United States, four hornet nests were found inside alder cavities in Whatcom County, Washington, and were eradicated between October 2020 and September 2021. Authorities were keen to congratulate American citizens, who played an important role in eradicating the insect. “Without the help of the population, it would have been unlikely that we would announce the eradication of the giant hornet today,” said Sven Spichiger, pest control program manager at WSDA.
Vespa mandarinia
It is still unknown how this giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia), which can reach almost five centimeters long, reached the United States. “Usually they are stowaways unintentionally taken onto something, like a shipping container, or someone.”declared Karla Salp, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Agriculture, in 2019.
Distinct from the giant hornet, the Asian hornet “yellow-legged” (Wasp velutina nigrithorax) which began to colonize part of Western Europe, itself probably arrived in 2004 in a shipment of pottery from China, delivered to the southwest of France from where it spread .
Bee destroyers
The insect mainly attacks hives, decimating the bees to feed its larvae, but its sting is particularly painful for humans. It is especially for bee colonies, already in sharp decline in many regions of the world, that hornets are a threat to be taken seriously.
“When these hornets discover a hive, they begin by massacring the bees by decapitating them one by one with their powerful mandibles, explained Chris Looney, entomologist with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, in 2020. The predators then occupy the hive for a week or more, the time to feast on the pupae (cocoons) and larvae left by the bees.
“In general, people don’t have to worry. As long as you do not step on a nest or approach a hive that they have taken possession of, there is really little chance that you will be stung, assured Karla Salp. That said, if you are stung, their venom is more toxic than that of bees or wasps back home, and they have a larger quantity of it. In Japan, where the insects are sometimes hunted for food, about 30 to 50 people die each year after being stung by giant hornets.
