BUZZ OFF
Warning over murder hornets as invasive bugs come out of hibernation and officials use DRONES to track them
DRONES are being used to track murder hornets as they come out of hibernation this summer.
Experts warn that attacks on humans are rare but possible, and the venom in the hornets stingers can kill.
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Officials are now hunting the Asian Giant Hornets, a.k.a. 'murder hornets' once more using new drones and over 1,000 traps, Good Morning America reported in .
GMA spoke with Washington State Department of Agriculture Officials about the increase in nests and the overall population of murder hornets.
Washington State Department of Agriculture's managing entomologist, Sven-Erik Spichiger, explained that if they don't get on top of this issue now, there will be more reproduction from the invasive species.
That's why they've had to get innovative, catching hornets and attaching digital trackers in the hopes of finding more and more nests.
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The 'murder hornets' are about two inches in size, with their nests as big as a basketball in most situations.
The WSDA is also now deploying over 1,000 traps and testing new suits and equipment, GMA reported.
Heading back to South Korea to study the origin of the hornets is also on the top of the list.
"The biggest question that we need to have answered is how far do the queens fly before they decide to stop and make a new nest," Spichiger said.
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"That is something no one has figured out."
Of course, the biggest fear for experts like Spichiger is the fact that the hornets feed mostly off of honey bees, something crops and the agricultural US cannot have.
Every year, at least dozens of South Korean citizens are killed by a 'murder hornet' sting, reports GMA.
"If you don't eradicate them, and they become established, then we have management issues..." says Spichiger.
Of course, the 'murder hornets,' actually known as Asian Giant Hornets, first appeared in the United States back in December of 2019 according to .
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Since then, more sporadically popped up in 2020 and 2021, with the WSDA officially destroying four nests at the end of last year.
Only time will tell if the tagging and drone methods improve the WSDA's ability to seek out and eradicate nearly all of the nests before the species is established.
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