Second Asian Giant Hornet Nest Eliminated and Third Nest Found
Beekeepers in Washington state around the Canadian border can both breathe a sigh of relief and start to worry again, all at the same time. One Asian giant hornet nest down, another nest to go.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) eradicated the second Asian giant hornet nest of the season on September 11, 2021. The nest had been found earlier in the week, according to a WSDA social media posting. There were four combs to the second nest.
The social media post went on to say that a third nest was discovered in the same general area as the second nest, and plans are under way to eradicate it as well.
In this 0:57-minute video by The Oregonian, you will see a short segment on the eradication of the first Asian Giant Hornet nest of 2021 by the WSDA after it was found in Washington:
The state of Oregon will now set traps for these hornets along its northern border with Washington state, hoping to keep the hornets from successfully moving south.
More updates will follow as WSDA releases information about their ongoing mission to eradicate these aggressive invasive Asian giant hornets from the northwest.
These hornets are known in the media as “murder hornets” because they use their mandibles to decapitate and massacre an entire beehive full of honeybees within hours. They are aggressive and have a nasty sting that can be deadly.
These giant insects, which can grow to 2 inches long, are native to east Asia and were first discovered in North America in 2019 near Vancouver Island, Canada. In 2020 they were found in areas of northwest Washington state.
It is vital to eliminate this invasive insect before it gets a solid foothold in North America, or it will become a serious hazard for many honeybee colonies on this continent.
We will continue to update this changing story as the WSDA issues new reports about finding and eradicating nests.
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