Murder hornet nest found in Washington State

Officials in Washington State said on Thursday they had destroyed the first Asian giant hornet nest of the season. The Washington state Department of Agriculture said it eradicated the nest on Wednesday. The nest was located in the base of a dead alder tree in rural Whatcom County, about 2 miles from a nest that the agency eradicated last October. The site is about one-quarter mile the Canadian border. Sometimes, the Asian giant hornets are called murder hornets because they prey on other bees and other insects.

They can conduct mass attacks on honey bee hives, destroying the hive in a matter of hours. The 2-inch-long invasive insects pose a threat to honeybees and native hornet species. While not particularly aggressive toward humans, their sting is extremely painful and repeated stings can kill the people. Asian giant hornets are the world's largest hornet and are not native to North America.