A giant hornet from Asia (illustration image). - Ted S. Warren / AP / SIPA

In the United States, Washington State has received several reports of the presence of giant hornets from Asia. It is a first on American territory. Measuring up to 5 cm, these insects are not very dangerous for humans but very destructive for bees.

A large yellow-orange head, black eyes and an abdomen streaked with yellow and black. It is in this form that the giant Asian hornet (Vespa mandarinia) occurs, explains the BBC in an article. This species first appeared in North America in British Columbia in Canada in August 2019. A few months later, in December, it was spotted in Washington State and reported by the Department of Agriculture Washington State (WSDA).

Meet the Asian giant hornet - also known as the “murder hornet.” It can kill a human just by stinging a person a couple of times. And for the first time ever, one was spotted in the US. https://t.co/aGLtbk9VUE pic.twitter.com/zG5KSxU3YW

- CNN (@CNN) May 5, 2020

Report any specimen

Scientists are thus preparing for the arrival of the giant hornet from Asia, which begins its life cycle in spring. While these insects generally avoid contact with humans, more than one bite can be fatal. But it is for bees that they represent a real danger: this predator hunts them with its pointed mandibles, then using their bodies to feed the larvae. They can thus destroy a hive in a few hours, according to the BBC.

In collaboration with beekeepers, researchers are now working on a solution to eradicate the species before it causes too much damage in bee populations. The authorities ask that anyone who sees a giant hornet report it on the website of the State Department of Agriculture, supplements BFMTV, so that a specialist can come and take care of it.

Ultimately, the decline of bees, whose role as pollinator is essential for humans in agriculture, threatens human nutrition. Worldwide, some 1.4 billion jobs and three-quarters of crops depend on it, according to a study.

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