Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Asian Giant ‘Murder’ Hornets

Animals | June 26, 2020

In May 2020, amid worldwide anxiety surrounding COVID-19, a new fear entered the public consciousness: so-called “murder hornets” appeared in the United States. And the fear isn’t unwarranted. The Asian giant hornet – scientific name vespa mandarinia – is one of the most feared insects in the world. Over the last few years, countries such as Japan and China have reported devastating consequences from hornet attacks. The world’s largest hornet, this Asian variety is essentially like a huge wasp that can sting victims multiple times.

Also known as the yak-killer hornet, this insect has developed a fearsome reputation for its aggressive nature and vicious method for killing prey. Giant hornets are even capable of causing human death with their powerful, organ-crashing venom.

As such, it’s important to know as much about these hornets as possible to avoid any potential danger.

Sophia

Sophia is a recent graduate from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. She is a freelance journalist based in New York City writing about everything from music to LGBTQ issues.