Officials say this nest was much more aggressive than the nest encountered in 2020.
Another Asian Giant Hornet’s nest was found and eradicated in Washington State.
It’s the first one found this year, and officials say the hornets were not happy to see them.
“I will say this, this nest was a little more aggressive than the nest we encountered in 2020,” said Sven-Erik Spichiger from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
The first nest of this invasive species, nicknamed the Murder Hornet, was found in October. But officials with the WSDA say the second nest was three times bigger, and these hornets were ready to defend their home.
“Upon starting our vacuuming, because the tree was so rotted away, the hornets were able to exploit this and create a second opening and did come out,” they state. “A few of us working tightly in the area were approached by the hornets, and they did attempt to sting us this time.”
Fortunately, no one was injured, and the hornets were trapped and their nest was removed.
Officials say they were led to the nest by a tracking device they attached to a trapped hornet about a week earlier. They also received calls from people in the area reporting sightings of hornets.
The WSDA asks people to continue setting traps and reporting sightings because the only way they will stop this problem is with community cooperation.
