"Murder Hornet" Trapped for the First Time in Washington State
upstart writes in with an IRC submission for nutherguy:
'Murder hornet' trapped for the first time in Washington State:
Washington State has trapped its first Asian giant hornet, also known as a "murder hornet."
The insect, believed to be a worker hornet, was found in a Washington State Department of Agriculture trap near Birch Bay in Whatcom County on July 14, officials said Friday. It's the first giant hornet to be detected in a trap, rather than in the environment.
[...] "This is encouraging because it means we know that the traps work," Sven Spichiger, managing entomologist for the state department, said. "But it also means we have work to do."
[...] The insects can grow to at least 3.5 centimetres [~1.4 inches] in length, with a wingspan up to twice as long. They are the largest species of hornet in the world.
Along with their size, Asian giant hornets are also known to prey on honeybees and destroy their hives, leading to their "murder hornet" nickname, though they've also been linked to a few dozen human deaths each year.
The Department of Agriculture hopes to trap and tag the hornets and then follow them back to their nests which they would then destroy.
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