Killer Hornets

The year 2020 is not one that beekeepers in Washington state and the Canadian province of British Columbia are likely to forget in a hurry. Since the spring, experts in both regions have been gripped by fears of Vespa mandarinia, a hulking insect whose voracious appetite for honeybees and stealthy spread could pose a threat to the region’s vulnerable ecosystem.

While the eradication of an Asian giant hornet nest in Washington in October was a success, officials to the north in Canada have dealt with a number of setbacks in their own bid to eradicate the hornets.

This summer, British Columbia’s chief beekeeper Dr Paul van Westendorp and his team deployed bottle traps, streamers and radio transmitters in the hope of killing the invasive insects – or leading researchers to underground nests. But they came away empty-handed.

The trouble is, the Asian giant hornet, despite its size, is incredibly difficult to locate, given its tendency to stick to forested areas. Unless a member of the public spots one by chance, there is little officials can do to find them.  SOURCE:  The Guardian                TO READ ENTIRE ARTI LE, Click Here...