Murder Hornets Have Not Arrived

Brownie,

It seems as though everything that could possibly go wrong in the world, is.

The news has been breaking about murder hornets arriving to the United States and this is not true. A reliever right?

The murder hornet, Vespa Mandarinia, is about 2-inches long. According to the New York Times, these hornets are known to kill around 50 people a year in Japan and also has the potential to devastate the bee economy, which is already on a decline.

Washington State Department of Agriculture verified four reports of sightings in December, 2019. Scientists say that the Asian giant hornet's life cycle begins in April. Researchers say that when the queen wakes up from hibernation, it scouts out spots to build underground nests and grow colonies.

WSDA says that murder hornets do not typically go after humans, but if they do, not even a beekeeping suit can protect you from its sting, which are longer and more dangerous than a bee's. Researchers say that the sting of a murder hornet is painful and packed with neurotoxins.

Conrad Bérubé, a beekeeper and entomologist in Nanaimo, British Columbia, told The New York Times that the day after he got stung, he legs ached like he had the flu, and the sting was the most painful sting he's ever experienced.

Though this information is useful, there are no Asian Giant Hornets currently known to be living in the U.S. or Canada, according to UC Riverside Entomology Research Museum Senior Scientist Doug Yanega. 

There has been no confirmations nor evidence of the hornets. As of now, multiple headlines are going based off of sighting claims.

It is a relief that we do not have to add on more problems during these troubling times.

To see more updates about this matter, follow us on Twitter @TheCrownBrown and utilize our hashtags #Brownie & #BrownieSquad to join the live conversation.

Remember to stay home and safe during this pandemic.