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'Murder Hornets' (Asian Giant Hornets)

These hornets have been given a new name by the Entomological Society of America.
Murder hornets are getting a new name: Here’s why

Same hornet, new name. The Entomological Society of America announced Monday that it has adopted a new name for the Asian giant hornet, also known as the murder hornet.

The insect, species Vespa mandarinia, will now be known as the northern giant hornet.

“Amid a rise in hate crimes and discrimination against people of Asian descent, usage of ‘Asian’ in the name of a pest insect can unintentionally bolster anti-Asian sentiment,” the ESA wrote in a news release.

The name “Asian giant hornet” can also be confusing because all hornets, including the 22 species of wasps in the genus Vespa, are native or common to Asia. The name “Asian giant hornet” doesn’t convey information about the biology or behavior of the specific species Vespa mandarinia.

“Northern giant hornet is both scientifically accurate and easy to understand, and it avoids evoking fear or discrimination,” ESA president Dr. Jessica Ware said. ...

In 2021, the ESA established new guidelines for how it would adopt acceptable insect common names. These new guidelines forbid names from referring to ethnic or racial groups or from stoking fear. They also discourage naming from geographic references. ...
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FULL STORY: https://www.nxsttv.com/nmw/news/murder-hornets-are-getting-a-new-name-heres-why/
 
EnolaGaia said:
These hornets have been given a new name by the Entomological Society of America.

FULL STORY: https://www.nxsttv.com/nmw/news/murder-hornets-are-getting-a-new-name-heres-why/
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It seems that which ever way they choose to name it, it will have a sting in the tale!
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Biggest ever nest of Asian hornets found on ground survive 28 HOURS in a freezer

The massive haul containing more than 1,600 Asian hornets were hunted with the majority hoovered up, thrown in a plastic bag and frozen alive.

But after more than a day trying to kill them in sub zero temperatures for 28 hours so that they could be dissected, some still emerged to attack - and were quickly thrown straight back in the freezer.

The one metre wide nest, which weighted more than 8kg, was discovered by a dog walker in a field near a Waitrose in Valle des Vaux on Jersey on Saturday.

The discovery added to a record number of nests that have already been found on the Channel Islands
And in the largest ground-based nest ever discovered there, more than 1,300 hornets were removed over the weekend using a specially designed vacuum, while a further 235 from the monster nest were caught in nearby traps.

The nest was then transferred to a freezer and stayed in storage for 28 hours before its dissection.

But hornet hunter John de Carteret said they were stunned to discover the freezing process failed to wipe out such a large number of them.

He said: "We intended to dissect the nest, which appears to contain 8/9 combs, but as we were removing it from the bag in which it had been in a freezer for 28 hours, we were met by a number of live Asian hornets...so it went back in the freezer.

Record numbers of Asian-hornet nests have already been found in Jersey this year with the number currently at 132.

The previous record was 83 nests located by the Jersey Asian Hornet Group in 2019, followed by 38 and 63 in the two subsequent years.

Mr de Carteret added: "Asian Hornet nests of this size are often found at the tops of tall trees at this time of the season as they approach their zenith and produce, firstly males and then Queens, who might go on to create more nests next year.

"This is certainly the biggest ground level nest found in Jersey, and because it was low down in a bramble bank, where people would go picking blackberries, the consequences of such could have been serious.

"The fact that a keen eyed dog walker was able to spot the Asian Hornets' activity, whilst walking his dog shows how close to passers by the nest was.
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Another big nest.

An Asian hornet nest, the size of an "elongated basketball", has been removed from a back garden after a week-long search operation.

Beekeepers were warned to be vigilant last week after three of the insects were spotted in Rayleigh.Inspectors from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) found the nest six metres up a tree, after knocking on a resident's door in the Essex town. The destroyed nest has been taken to a government laboratory for testing.

David Holborn, whose garden the nest was found in, said the inspectors arrived in "jeans and jumpers" and "suited up" after spotting the nest.

"It was the size of an elongated basketball," said Mr Holborn, speaking on BBC Essex. It's quite scary to think it's been in our garden for probably two months, but there's been no harm to us. They've been keeping themselves to themselves."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-63137011
 
Islanders battle bee-eating hornets,

Leaders have made headway in their efforts to control Guernsey's Asian hornet population.

In 2022, two primary and two secondary nests were destroyed, with nine queens caught, the government said. The government said the species was a major threat to "biodiversity, pollinating insects and beekeeping activities".

They are also a public health risk as they can attack if nests are disturbed, it added.

The "invasive" species is an "aggressive predator" of other insects, with 30% of its diet made up of honeybees.

Francis Russell, the officer behind the Asian Hornet Strategy in Guernsey, said there had been a "low number" of Asian hornets last year.

He thanked islanders for their "vigilance" and asked they remain on the lookout for the species.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-64246722
 
The battle continues.

Thirty-eight Asian hornet queens were caught during the annual island-wide spring trapping, the States of Guernsey has said.

It added the number was three times the amount from last spring.

It is thought strong north-easterly winds helped the hornets to fly over from France.

Islanders are advised if they spot a hornet they should take a picture and observe where it flies before reporting it to the Asian hornet team.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-66256643
 
ramonmercado said:
The battle continues.

Thirty-eight Asian hornet queens were caught during the annual island-wide spring trapping, the States of Guernsey has said.

It added the number was three times the amount from last spring.

It is thought strong north-easterly winds helped the hornets to fly over from France.

Islanders are advised if they spot a hornet they should take a picture and observe where it flies before reporting it to the Asian hornet team.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-66256643
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And even more on Jersey.

More than eight times the amount of queen Asian hornets have been found so far in 2023, compared to 2022.

Since the beginning of the year, 476 queens and 102 nests have been found compared to 55 queens and 60 nests in 2022, experts said.
Eleven people have also been stung in 2023, compared to five in 2022.

John De Carteret, an Asian hornet hunter, said the rising numbers "should be of concern to everyone", and that Europe had also reported an increase.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-66305174
 
ramonmercado said:
And even more on Jersey.

More than eight times the amount of queen Asian hornets have been found so far in 2023, compared to 2022.

Since the beginning of the year, 476 queens and 102 nests have been found compared to 55 queens and 60 nests in 2022, experts said.
Eleven people have also been stung in 2023, compared to five in 2022.

John De Carteret, an Asian hornet hunter, said the rising numbers "should be of concern to everyone", and that Europe had also reported an increase.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-66305174
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So, if I find myself outside on a flaming hot day. . .
and I spot an Asian Hornet (or any other similar kinds of Hornet's for that matter), I 'scream-Hornet - will be the first thing that comes to mind!
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Asian hornets continue to plague Sark & Guernsey.

Record number of Asian hornet queens were found in Sark this year, it has been revealed.

During the annual spring trapping campaign 24 were found, beating the previous record of 11. In addition, the Guernsey Asian hornet team has been in Sark this week removing three nests.

Peter Cunneen, from the Sark hornet team, said it was "remarkable" and asked islanders to be "vigilant" when reporting sightings of the creatures.

Wet weather during the spring is thought to have been a factor, along with persistent north-easterly winds allowing the hornets to fly from France, the team said.

In Guernsey, the team captured a total of 37 queens, before confirming it was 38, a figure three times higher than last year.

Mr Cunneen said it had been a "very very busy year".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-66536394
 
And in Jersey.

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Asian hornet's nest
IMAGE SOURCE, ALASTAIR CHRISTIE Image caption, The nest was described as "a bit of a one off".

The largest Asian hornet nest to be found in Jersey in 2023 has been destroyed.

Alastair Christie, Asian hornet co-ordinator for the Government of Jersey, said the nest was large for the time of year, measuring about 15 inches (40cm). It was found in a derelict house in St Brelades and destroyed on 14 August.

Numbers of the invasive species in Jersey are growing, with 171 nests being found so far in 2023 compared to 100 at the same stage in 2022.

The insect poses no greater risk to human health than native wasps and hornets. However, they prey on pollinating insects such as honey bees and can cause major damage to colonies.

Mr Christie said "quite a few pubs" were reporting the hornets as a problem for customers in August.

He said of the recent nest: "It's the biggest we've dealt with so far this year. It was in a derelict house, no wind, no rain, out of the cold - beautifully sheltered... A bit of a one-off"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-66555653
 
ramonmercado said:
And in Jersey.

Share
Asian hornet's nest's nest
IMAGE SOURCE, ALASTAIR CHRISTIE Image caption, The nest was described as "a bit of a one off".

The largest Asian hornet nest to be found in Jersey in 2023 has been destroyed.

Alastair Christie, Asian hornet co-ordinator for the Government of Jersey, said the nest was large for the time of year, measuring about 15 inches (40cm). It was found in a derelict house in St Brelades and destroyed on 14 August.

Numbers of the invasive species in Jersey are growing, with 171 nests being found so far in 2023 compared to 100 at the same stage in 2022.

The insect poses no greater risk to human health than native wasps and hornets. However, they prey on pollinating insects such as honey bees and can cause major damage to colonies.

Mr Christie said "quite a few pubs" were reporting the hornets as a problem for customers in August.

He said of the recent nest: "It's the biggest we've dealt with so far this year. It was in a derelict house, no wind, no rain, out of the cold - beautifully sheltered... A bit of a one-off"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-66555653
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:eek:

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maximus otter
 
ramonmercado said:
And in Jersey.

Share
Asian hornet's nest's nest
IMAGE SOURCE, ALASTAIR CHRISTIE Image caption, The nest was described as "a bit of a one off".

The largest Asian hornet nest to be found in Jersey in 2023 has been destroyed.

Alastair Christie, Asian hornet co-ordinator for the Government of Jersey, said the nest was large for the time of year, measuring about 15 inches (40cm). It was found in a derelict house in St Brelades and destroyed on 14 August.

Numbers of the invasive species in Jersey are growing, with 171 nests being found so far in 2023 compared to 100 at the same stage in 2022.

The insect poses no greater risk to human health than native wasps and hornets. However, they prey on pollinating insects such as honey bees and can cause major damage to colonies.

Mr Christie said "quite a few pubs" were reporting the hornets as a problem for customers in August.

He said of the recent nest: "It's the biggest we've dealt with so far this year. It was in a derelict house, no wind, no rain, out of the cold - beautifully sheltered... A bit of a one-off"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-66555653
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"Yikes!" I bet there must be far more of these Hornets, and Murder Hornets around the UK - in old barns, unused or falling down farm sheds, and out-of-the-way places, maybe even in caves for instance?
 
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There was an outbreak of hornet mania on the local Facebook recently, caused by hornet mimic hoverflies which don't really look that much like hornets.
 
Another type of Asian Hornet, beware of the yellow-legged hornet.

Yellow-legged hornets have been spotted in the U.S. for the first time after a beekeeper reported an unusual insect in Savannah, Georgia, in early August.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced last week (Aug. 15) that the invasive hornet species' arrival in the U.S. had been confirmed and that searches would be conducted in the area where it was found for signs of a nest.

"If established, this invasive species could threaten the native pollinators in our state and negatively impact our agricultural industry as a whole," Tyler Harper, Georgia's agriculture commissioner, said in a news conference.

Native to parts of Southeast Asia, the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) is a social wasp species and builds large paper nests that can contain an average of 6,000 workers, according to the statement. These egg-shaped nests are often found in trees.

The hornets threaten local ecosystems because they predate insects, including western honey bees (Apis mellifera) — which they can catch in flight.

Asian hornet perched on twig.

The hornets pose a particular threat to the already strained honey bee population. (Image credit: Getty Images)

"They are generalist feeders on insect prey," Keith Delaplane, the director of the UGA Honey Bee Program at the University of Georgia, told Live Science in an email. "But honey bees are a special concern because their managed apiaries (specifically each hive entrance and its steady traffic of foragers) constitutes the most concentrated source of prey the hornets encounter. They’re easy pickings."

https://www.livescience.com/animals...low-legged-hornets-spotted-in-us-for-1st-time
 
Bloody big nest.

Asian hornet nest in a plastic bag
IMAGE SOURCE, THE GUERNSEY ASIAN HORNET TEAM Image caption, It is the ninth nest to be identified in Guernsey since August

The largest Asian hornet nest ever recorded in Guernsey has been removed by firefighters.

The Guernsey Asian Hornet Team said the nest was removed from an oak tree on La Vallette after reported sightings of the invasive insect nearby. It said it was the ninth nest to be identified on the island since August. Initial estimates suggested the nest could be up to 24 inches (61cm), experts said.

Francis Russell, the team's project co-ordinator, said the "race is on" to remove more nests before winter. He said only five of the nine nests identified since August had been removed.

"Plans are under way to deal with the remaining nests where locations have made this particularly challenging," he said. "As autumn approaches, the race is on to remove all the Asian hornet nests across the island." ...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-66749461
 
Bees make hornets buzz off,

Bumble bees have a remarkably successful method for fighting off Asian hornets, new research shows.

When attacked, buff-tailed bumble bees drop to the ground—taking the hornets down with them. This either causes the hornet to lose its grip, or the bee raises its sting and tussles until the hornet gives up.

University of Exeter scientists witnessed over 120 such attacks, and were stunned to find that bumble bees fought off the hornets every time. Despite this, they found bumble bee colonies had reduced growth rates in areas with high numbers of Asian hornets—suggesting the hornets still had a negative impact, even if their attacks at colony entrances usually failed.

A paper describing their findings, published in the journal Communications Biology, is titled "Quantifying the impact of an invasive hornet on Bombus terrestris colonies."

Asian hornets (also known as yellow-legged hornets) have already invaded much of mainland Europe and parts of east Asia, and have recently been reported in the US for the first time. Sightings in the UK and continental Europe are at record levels this year—raising fears for pollinators and prompting substantial control efforts.

"Asian hornets prey on a wide range of insects, including honey bees, but little is known about their impact on other pollinators," said Thomas O'Shea-Wheller, of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. "With honey bees, the hornets do something called 'hawking'—hovering outside the bees' nest and attacking returning foragers as they fly past. We recorded hornets doing the same thing to bumble bees, but with the surprising difference that in our observations, they were entirely unsuccessful."

In the study, commercially reared bumble bee colonies were placed at 12 locations across the province of Pontevedra, Spain, with varying local Asian hornet densities. Colonies were weighed every two days (weight change is a measure of colony growth) and those in areas with higher Asian hornet densities grew more slowly.

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-bumble-bees-asian-hornets.html
 
Yithian said:
I haven't read those articles, I'm afraid, but the most incredible part, for me, is the defence that local (Asian) bees have developed to counter attacks by 'The Murder Hornets' (great band...): they cook them!

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/honey-bees-cook-murder-hornets/
U.S. bees need to get on the blower to their Asian cousins for some vital pointers.

Somebody elsewhere was asking about the viability of importing bees so that the locals 'learn' the approach, but nobody seemed to know how such an interaction might work. It sounds naively possible, but there was no expert to comment.
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I've just finished reading this:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ardent-Swarm-Novel-Yamen-Manai/dp/1542020476

A work of fiction but it does include a description of the 'cooking' method employed by Asian bees and how the protagonist intended to use it to teach his bees. I'm wondering if it would really work but it seems you'd need to be patient. It's a short book which I found interesting. Basically it would entail introducing a queen from a hive that had already evolved to employ that defensive measure. As the story is also an allegory about a country I wasn't sure how many liberties the author had taken in order to make his point but on the other hand he did seem to know about bees.
 
Just had an email alert that Asian hornets have been found around Fleet & Church Crookham - just a few miles from me.
Residents have been asked to report any sightings of the insects, which are around twice the size of a wasp or honey bee.

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