With the fear of the Coronavirus starting to diminish, it looks like there is a new threat to worry about. Behold the ‘murder hornets’ or Asian giant hornets. These guys are the new insect on the block, so now it’s time to answer some questions you may have about these murder hornets. 

How large are the hornets?

To say these guys are big is an understatement. These bad boys are huge and have a body length of over 45mm long, a wingspan of 75mm and a 6mm sting that shoots a poisonous venom.

Can the sting kill you? 

No, don’t worry it can’t kill. The sting is not lethal to most, but that doesn’t mean that it’s safe to be stung. It can kill indirectly via allergic reaction or if you were stung many times by many hornets.

How much does the sting hurt? 

A lot. According to Brave Wilderness owner, Coyote Peterson, it is the second most painful sting behind only the Executioner Wasp. Peterson, who claims to have been stung by many insects, bugs, and more over the years says it feels like, “someone shoved a red hot poker stick and left it there for 6 hours.” The effect lasts for over 36 hours.

Where did it come from and how did it get here?

The giant Asian hornet comes from Asia, hence the name, and it mostly likely originated in Japan and China. One hornet was found in the US on a cargo ship, though it was dead. We do not know at this time if there are any more here in the US.