"Murder" Hornets are Establishing a Population in the Headlines
The headlines have been abuzz with the news of a catastrophic horde of invaders known as murder hornets making a new home in the Pacific Northwest and waging war on the bees that tirelessly make the sweet golden syrup packaged in cheerful plastic bears. Now if you are a honey-loving human being or a lover of peaceful little pollinators then giant hornets with honey bee genocide on their minds invading North America is a cause for alarm, but the headlines and articles circulating in the media may be more than a little misleading. When one compares what the experts on the frontlines of stopping these invaders with the sensational articles being shared on social media, the threat levels do not equate.
Asian giant hornet specimen. Credit: Washington State Department
It is true that in September of 2019 a colony of Asian giant (“murder”) hornets (Vespa mandarinia) was discovered and eradicated in Vancouver and then two more were spotted in Washington a few months later in December. One of the two hornets in December was found dead and collected for testing, but there has been no sign of the second hornet or any nests that it may have built. Genetic testing of the hornet that was collected showed that it was not related to the Vancouver colony meaning that there is no reason to believe that the colony was not entirely exterminated. Etymologists like Doug Yanega (UCR) and Floyd Shockley (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History) agree that given the evidence that has been collected, there is no reason to believe that these hornets have established a sustainable population in North America but it is important to actively manage the situation. The Washington Department of Agriculture is urging the public to report any sightings of Asian giant hornets to the Pest Program so that they may be appropriately dealt with and any potential colony establishment can be halted. They stress that there is no reason to panic and it is highly unlikely that there is a hidden established colony.
If these hornets do successfully establish a colony in North America, it does not mean that domesticated bees are doomed. There are methods to protect commercial hives from the hornets that are already utilized in Asia where honey bees have been raised with the presence of the hornets for many years. Simple devices made of mesh placed at the entrance to hives are a common protection method because the holes are large enough for bees to slip through but far too small for the hornets to gain access to their target. The populations that would be more at risk are the social insects that are not domesticated and therefore do not have the human protection that honey bees enjoy. These insects are often ignored by the same media outlets that are publishing these articles predicting the decimation of the honey bee population and the end of pollination as we know it.
The moral of this entire situation is that no, Asian giant hornets are not invading, honey bees are at more risk from parasites than the hornets, and the general population needs to be a little more careful about blindly believing the headlines. That being said I do urge anyone who does see one of these hornets to please report the sighting to the Washington Department of Agriculture Pest Program.
1-800-443-6684
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/murder-hornets-us-honeybees-washington/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/just-how-dangerous-is-the-murder-hornet/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/invasion-murder-hornets-180974809/
https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2020/05/06/murder-hornets-invade-headlines-not-us?utm_source=
https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2020/05/06/murder-hornets-invade-headlines-not-us
