Washington
Related: About this forumScientists asks people to be on the lookout for 'murder hornets' ahead of new season
OLYMPIA, Wash. (KOMO) The Washington State Department of Agriculture is asking people to keep an eye out for Asian giant hornets or "murder hornets" at their hummingbird feeders this spring.
Officials with the Department of Agriculture say the Asian giant hornets are attracted to sweet carbohydrates and have been seen at feeders before.
The invasive hornets pose a threat to local honeybees, and this year the state is stepping up efforts to trap and eradicate the hornets.
If you do see a hornet at your bird feeder, the Department of Agriculture asks that you take a photo and report it on their website so that they can verify that it is a murder hornet, and trap it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/scientists-asks-people-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-murder-hornets-ahead-of-new-season/ar-BB1fEULD
louis-t
(23,199 posts)I have a pretty good backhand.
thucythucy
(7,983 posts)I'm deathly allergic to just plain old hornet hornets--when stung I have to inject myself with an epipen and then get to an ER ASAP.
What the fuck is a "murder hornet" gonna do to me?
MFM008
(19,776 posts)they are huge.
thucythucy
(7,983 posts)So does the 2nd amendment include SAMs?
I might just have to open carry next time I take the dog for a walk.
getagrip_already
(14,226 posts)They are big but their venom isn't more potent. The risk is when you run into a lot of them. If you were to step on a ground nest, they would attack by the hundreds, and because their stingers are longer, they can go through thick layers of clothing. Even beekeepers gear isn't effective against them. Eye shields are a must since people have been blinded by venom spray through veils.
But wasps and hornets, like bees, tend not to be aggressive when out foraging. It's when you get near their nests you have to worry.
And so far they have a very limited range in northern washington and canada just north of there.
thucythucy
(7,983 posts)This is good to know.
I used to enjoy gardening, but having been stung more than once it's now a mite too stressful.
Basically, I try to keep out of their way, and hope they will reciprocate.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)I_UndergroundPanther
(12,450 posts)If I see a murder hornet I am running away screaming first.
Than I will go in my house and hide.
Than after about 10 minutes of panic and shuddering and deciding to never go outside again.. I will call and report it.
I hate hornets.
And I hate bug pests and whenever they show up I go scorched earth on the fuckers.
I hate a lot of bugs.
Wasps are up there with fleas,flies,ticks,
mosquitoes, any bug that infests,stings or bites I hate them all , but murder hornets are a whole nother category of horror.