Bee removal professionals in Orange County have heard of two reports of Asian Giant Hornets, which is a species that is not usually known in North America. They were located in Northwest Washington State in late 2019. If that wasn’t bad enough, a hornet colony was found and removed in British Columbia. These pests are multiplying in America, and are notorious for their deadly and painful sting.
What Are Asian Giant Hornets?
The Asian giant hornet, or scientifically known as Vespa Mandarina, is a common insect in many areas in Asia, where they just call it “Giant Hornet”. Lately, the media has sensationalized these insects as “Murder Hornets”. These hornets usually habitant the mountains outside of Tokyo.
Asian Giant Hornets are pretty easy to recognize since they are very big, have an orange head and black-banded orange body. The Asian giant hornet queen is the biggest wasp in the world and can grow up to two inches and has a wingspan of three inches. They are only outside their nests only when they are hibernating or in the spring before the worker wasps are ready to leave.
The Asian giant hornet workers can grow up to 1.5 inches in length and have the same size as other wasps and can easily be confused with Asian giant hornets. The only way you can tell the difference is that Asian giant hornets have noticeable colorings, such as yellow heads, black thoraxes, as well as yellow and black or brown striped abdomens.
Experts in removing bees in Orange County say that you can distinguish Asian giant hornets from common honey bees with their longer than usual stingers. Also, Asian giant hornets can puncture thick clothing, so you should avoid these hornets and their nests.
Again, just like honey bee stings, people could have an allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis, that can sometimes put some individuals in the hospital. Unfortunately, there have been rare instances people have developed severe reactions from an Asian giant hornet’s sting which have led to become fatal.
If you are allergic to bee and wasp stings, Orange County bee removal professionals recommend that you stay away from these insects and their nests. Additionally, make it a point to wear white clothing outdoors, since they are drawn to dark colors. Furthermore, don’t have any uncovered sweet foods or drinks lying about outside, because these hornets have a sweet tooth.
How Did These Hornets Arrive In North America?
Although these hornets can fly, they aren’t marathon athletes. So, one of them hitched a free ride to the North American continent. Scientists believe that one, fertile queen hornet made its way to Canada through shipping packaging and formed the colony that was discovered in British Columbia in 2019.
This is nothing unusual since many invasive species travel in this fashion. Over 19,000 cargo containers arrive every day at U.S. ports. Due to the huge volume of cargo, inspectors can only do random searches of shipping containers. It has been concluded that only 2 percent of shipments are searched for any signs of harmful organisms such as plant pests. Luckily, many invasive species are found and prevented from entering the country, but some do get through.
There is no way for someone to have purposely transfer an entire colony of Asian giant hornets since their colonies are often very large, and anyone would be able to see these hornets coming a mile away. Also, do not forget the fact that these hornets get very aggressive when their nest is disturbed.
What Are The Hornets Living Conditions?
In the mountainous regions of Asia, these Giant hornets can be seen everywhere. They are not seen in large cities or very urbanized towns. Because of the massive size of their nests, you won’t find them their nests high in a tree or on a tall building. Normally, these hornets build their nest at the base of large trees and inside dead logs that are around 3 to 6 feet above the ground. If you do notice an aerial nest, it is a very rare finding. Due to the fact that the Asian giant hornet prefers to nest in subterranean conditions, trying to locate their nest can be a challenge.
Asian giant hornets cannot stand very hot or cold temperatures, so they probably won’t survive in extremely hot or cold parts of North America. Similar to other wasps with social tendencies, they will do all they can to defend their nest if the colony is under threat.
What Happens When You Get Stung By An Asian Giant Hornet?
Needless to say, getting stung by an Asian giant hornet isn’t anybody’s idea of a good time. Their stings are very painful, and some have described them as a hot nail piercing the flesh.
Some scientific evidence has reported that Asian giant hornet stings can lead to skin necrosis and hemorrhaging. However, keep in mind that these instances are very rare, but their stings are very painful and for some can be lethal especially if the person is allergic to bee and wasp stings.
On average, Asian giant hornets usually kill 50 people a year with sting-induced allergic reactions and, in some rare cases, multiple organ failure from a massive quantity of stings.
This statistic is a very worrying one for many people. Similar to the fact that on average 62 Americans are killed each year from bees and wasps for the same reasons. In Japan, where Asian giant hornets originate from, about 21 people from 2000 to 2018 died per year from all wasp hornet, as well as bee sting put together, while Asian giant hornets were responsible for just a small share of those deaths.
The best way to protect you and your family from a deadly wasp, bee, and hornet sting is control. If you suspect a colony of hornets in your area, contact Orange County professionals to remove the bees as soon as possible. Keep in mind that you should never try to handle a hornet’s nest on your own. It could lead to serious injury and hospitalization.