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Another ‘murder hornet’ found in Washington State—here’s what that means.
The discovery of a third Asian giant hornet suggests the species has survived the winter and spread—but it’s not too late to stop it, experts say.
An Asian giant hornet that’s almost certainly a queen was discovered in Washington State, scientists have confirmed, the third found in the United States. But officials stressed that the sightings have been confined to a relatively small area in the northwest corner of the state, and that there’s a chance to stop the insect’s spread.
The discovery likely means a colony was present near Custer, Washington, in fall 2019, and that it produced many queens.
These large females lie dormant over the winter, and when they become active in the late spring, a small percentage are likely to create successful nests.
A man walking on a road near Custer noticed the dead insect last week. It was the first hornet seen this year,
