Asian giant hornet nest destroyed in Washington state

[Still Waters]

Officials in Washington state said Thursday they had destroyed the first Asian giant hornet nest of the season, which was located near the town of Blaine along the Canadian border.

The Washington state Department of Agriculture said it eradicated the nest Wednesday.

The nest was located in the base of a dead alder tree in rural Whatcom County, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from a nest the agency eradicated last October and about one-quarter mile from where a resident reported a live sighting of an Asian giant hornet on Aug. 11. The site is about one-quarter mile from the Canadian border.

The portion of the tree with the nest was cut and transported to Washington State University Extension in Bellingham for further analysis. The nest itself had nearly 1,500 hornets in various stages of development.

https://phys.org/news/2021-08-asian-giant-hornet-washington-state.html

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[HandsomeGorilla]

initially, I kinda scoffed at these guys becoming invasive in any way, but they already have evidence that they're taking over and destroying honey bees and their hives. that's what these giant hornets do, apparently they're quite menacing to our already quickly declining bee populations around the world. bees are among the most important life forms on earth, not just for our survival but the survival of the planet, itself 

it looks like scientists are on top of things. hopefully, they can be contained and not allowed to completely decimate the bee population 

[Still Waters]

Here's a video of the nest.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/first-murder-hornet-nest-2021-094010726.html

[Myles]

17 hours ago, HandsomeGorilla said:

initially, I kinda scoffed at these guys becoming invasive in any way, but they already have evidence that they're taking over and destroying honey bees and their hives. that's what these giant hornets do, apparently they're quite menacing to our already quickly declining bee populations around the world. bees are among the most important life forms on earth, not just for our survival but the survival of the planet, itself 

it looks like scientists are on top of things. hopefully, they can be contained and not allowed to completely decimate the bee population 

Not that there is no hope, but I am already nearly conceding that they will not be stopped.  Just to hard to contain them.  

[HandsomeGorilla]

did I seriously make a separate thread about this same story? geez I need some sleep 

[acute]

Quote

Eww hornet and wasp larvae are so gross, their nests too.

@Orphalesion

Are you trypophobic?

[Orphalesion]

7 minutes ago, acute said:

@Orphalesion

Are you trypophobic?

Nope, but I do have a irrational fear of insect larvae and worms. And wasp larvae "plop" out of their holes when they want to be fed, that's so gross, and the nests they built are all discoloured and warped and grey and look like they are made out of melted paper mache.

Compare that to bee hives, which are made of nice, yellow bee's wax and where the larvae lie curled up in beds of honey. Much nicer.

[acute]

Quote

I do have a irrational fear of insect larvae and worms. And wasp larvae "plop" out of their holes when they want to be fed, that's so gross,

Oh, great!  Now, I have to find out what the fear of 'larvae plop' is called. 

[HandsomeGorilla]

29 minutes ago, Orphalesion said:

Nope, but I do have a irrational fear of insect larvae and worms. And wasp larvae "plop" out of their holes when they want to be fed, that's so gross, and the nests they built are all discoloured and warped and grey and look like they are made out of melted paper mache.

Compare that to bee hives, which are made of nice, yellow bee's wax and where the larvae lie curled up in beds of honey. Much nicer.

my mother was like that, absolutely terrified of anything that looked or moved like a worm. do you also fear parasitic worms? sorry if I'm grossing you out. already did, didn't I? she'd have dreams about it 

Edited August 28, 2021 by HandsomeGorilla

[Orphalesion]

26 minutes ago, HandsomeGorilla said:

my mother was like that, absolutely terrified of anything that looked or moved like a worm. do you also fear parasitic worms? sorry if I'm grossing you out. already did, didn't I? she'd have dreams about it 

Don't worry you are not grossing me out. Yeah I'm pretty sure my fear of larvae and worms is solely grounded in a fear of parasitism. Intellectually I know that none of the wormy things I'm likely to encounter where I live is capable of feeding off my still-living body (even flesh fly maggots only eat dead, decaying tissue) but emotionally it's a huge fear of mine (funny enough I'm not bothered by larger worm-shaped animals, such as snakes, I don't mind snakes at all)
Of course, seen from an evolutionary perspective humans are, to some extend hard-wired to feel revulsion towards insect larvae, since they are often found in rotting tissue (animal or plant), it warns us of possible infections and makes sure we don't eat rotten matter.  There's a reason why J.K. Rowlings larva-like description of a reborn Voldemort ("It was like if someone had turned over a rock and revealed something white, slimy and blind") is so effective.   

I don't have regular dreams about it anymore, but when I had a somewhat regular nightmare that I was sleeping on a giant maggot instead of a pillow.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

On 8/28/2021 at 1:05 AM, Myles said:

Not that there is no hope, but I am already nearly conceding that they will not be stopped.  Just to hard to contain them.  

Japanese bees have a defence protocol for these hornets, maybe start bringing in Japanese bees?

[Nnicolette]

21 hours ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

Japanese bees have a defence protocol for these hornets, maybe start bringing in Japanese bees?

That is a great idea. Maybe even try to cross them with the honeybees. Oh wait... Isnt that how killer bees started? How do they fare against murder hornets? Also who is naming these things lol

[GlitterRose]

I know Raptor Witness gets a lotta flack for being all apocalyptic, but murder hornets...

the hits just keep comin.

The guy has a point. 

[HandsomeGorilla]

I refuse to say 'murder hornet'. we've known about them for a long time but only since they've come here has the media gone nuts and called them such a silly, dramatic name. what's next, a candiru being called a rape fish? rather childish and plays on people's fears of huge venomous insects that are potentially deadly. I mean, that's what they are...but still. 

hornets, wasps, ants and mosquitoes are the only animals I borderline hate but I've still got their back lol