Washington
Possible invasive 'Murder' hornet sighting reported in Washington state
A Washington woman’s backyard turned into a raccoon rodeo earlier this month when she was overwhelmed by nearly 100 of the furry fiends.
BURLEY, Wash. – A possible sighting of a murderous species of hornet has been reported in Washington.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) said it is investigating a report of a possible sighting of a Northern Giant Hornet, also known as a Murder Hornet, in the Burley area, near Port Orange, Washington.
The Northern Giant Hornet, formerly known as the Asian Giant Hornet, is the world’s largest species of hornet, according to WSDA. The species received the name because of its murderous tendencies toward honey bees.
The hornets attack honey bee hives and during a “slaughter phase” can kill entire beehives by decapitating bees, WSDA said. A few hornets can eliminate an entire hive in just a few hours.
WSDA said the first known sighting of the Murder Hornet in the U.S. was in Washington in 2019. The state received confirmed reports of the Northern Giant Hornets in 2020 and 2021, and eradicated the species then. The hornets haven’t been recorded in the state since 2021, according to WSDA.
The department said it does not have the specimen reported in Burley, so it can’t be determined at this time if what was reported is actually a Murder Hornet.
Murder Hornets typically don’t attack people or pets unless threatened, WSDA said. However, their stings are longer than a honey bee’s and carry more venom.
Northern Giant Hornets can also sting more than once, WSDA said.
The WSDA asks any possible sightings of Northern Giant “Murder” Hornets to be reported on their website.