GIANT BUG INVASION!

You may have heard in the news about China's latest gift to the U.S. -- an aggressive species of hornet that can kill. Growing up to two-and-a-half inches long and with a stinger a quarter of an inch long (!), the Asian Giant Hornet was found in Washington State and Canada last year.

In Japan, they are known as "Murder Hornets" because a number of Japanese are killed each year by them. In the worst year, over 40 people were killed by multiple stings from the ghastly things.

In the U.S. and Canada, they have been known to invade honeybee hives and destroy every single bee by decapitating them with their huge mandibles before taking up the hive for their own.

The Japanese company, Kaiyodo, has memorialized this fearsome insect by introducing a Asian Giant Murder Hornet "poseable figure"! For only a hundred bucks you can scare the sh*t out of your friends and family or create fake sightings, just like Bigfoot!

So I ask, what's next? Giant ants à la THEM?

Asian Giant Hornet Murder Hornet Poseable Figure by Kaiyodo
$99.99

This is a posable action figure from the Revoltech series.

Kaiyodo debuts their Revogeo creature-figure lineup with the Asian giant hornet! It's the largest hornet in the world, and is distributed throughout East Asia and some small areas in Russia; this is the Japanese color variation, with a bright yellow-orange head and striped abdomen. Unlike other hornets, they nest in the ground. It became famous worldwide in May 2020 after a few were found in the U.S. They can be extremely aggressive, and it attacks in groups; due to this, they can be very dangerous to humans, as their sting delivers a large dose of their highly toxic venom. Numerous stings are capable of killing a human, leading to the nickname "murder hornet."

Kaiyodo's posable figure of this insect features their legendary Revoltech revolving joints, as well as an accurate sculpt. It's highly flexible and posable; the big jaw is movable with a detailed mouth interior, and its large compound eyes are made of transparent materials for a lifelike appearance. It can be displayed with its wings spread for flight with parts replacement; it comes with a display base that can show it off in both standing and flying poses. Future releases will include dinosaur skeletons, insects, crustaceans and more -- order your very own "murder hornet" today!

[Figure Size]: Approximately 7 inches; 25 points of articulation

[Materials]: ABS, PVC

[Set Contents]:
Main figure
Transparent display base with both short and long arms
4mm joints (x6)
Wings for flight

The real deal.

Another Asian giant hornet found in northwestern Washington
By Nicholas K. Geranios | May 29, 2020 at 12:55 pm Updated June 1, 2020 at 11:18 pm | seattletimes.com via The Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A dead Asian giant hornet has been found in Washington state, and officials said Friday they were trying to learn if the honey bee predators have established colonies here.

The Washington state Department of Agriculture said it was the first confirmed sighting of an Asian giant hornet in Washington this year. The hornets are known as Murder Hornets in Japan, a name that state officials frown upon.

The hornet found this week was believed to be a queen, said Sven-Erik Spichiger, an entomologist for the agency.

“If we start finding workers we would know that colonies are established,” Spichiger said. “We are concerned.”

On Wednesday, a resident near the town of Custer in Whatcom County found the dead specimen while walking on a roadway and contacted WSDA.

State and federal labs confirmed that the specimen was an Asian giant hornet on Friday morning.

The hornet was detected near the location of a suspected Asian giant hornet bee kill in 2019. WSDA had already planned trapping in that area and will maintain that plan to try to find any colony that may be there, the agency said.

“At this time, there is no evidence that Asian giant hornets are established in Washington state or anywhere else in the United States,” said Osama El-Lissy, an official with the federal Plant Protection and Quarantine program.

The latest find came just days after the government of British Columbia confirmed their first detection of the year in Canada near the town of Langley, B.C. That specimen was initially reported to authorities on May 15.

The Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest hornet and a predator of honey bees and other insects. A small group of Asian giant hornets can kill an entire honey bee hive in a matter of hours.

The state of Washington received the first report of an Asian giant hornet last December from a resident near Blaine and later learned of another specimen in the area which Washington State University scientists had collected. These were the first-ever confirmed sightings of Asian giant hornet in the United States.

Since the specimens were confirmed in Washington late last year, state entomologists have been working with USDA to create trapping and eradication plans for the invasive pest in order to protect honey bees and the hundreds of crops in Washington that depend on those bees for pollination.

“It will take all of us working together to locate and eradicate Asian giant hornets from our state,” Spichiger said.

Ordinary hornet and wasp traps will not catch Asian giant hornets as the holes are too small for Asian giant hornets to enter the traps, officials said.

Although not typically aggressive toward humans, Asian giant hornets do pose a human health threat. Their sting is more dangerous than that of local bees and wasps and can cause severe pain, swelling, necrosis, and, in rare cases, even death. Anyone who is allergic to bee or wasp stings should not approach or attempt to trap for Asian giant hornets.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!

ASIAN GIANT HORNET
Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the world's largest species of hornet. In December 2019, WSDA received and verified two reports of Asian giant hornet near Blaine. These are the first-ever sighting in the United States. Canada had also discovered Asian giant hornet in two locations in British Columbia in the fall of 2019.

In 2020, both Washington and Canada have had new confirmed sightings of Asian giant hornet.

Asian giant hornet attacks and destroys honeybee hives. A few hornets can destroy a hive in a matter of hours. The hornets enter a "slaughter phase" where they kill bees by decapitating them. They then defend the hive as their own, taking the brood to feed their own young. They also attack other insects but are not known to destroy entire populations of those insects. 

While they do not generally attack people or pets, they can attack when threatened. Their stinger is longer than that of a honeybee and their venom is more toxic. They can also sting repeatedly. 

If it becomes established, this hornet will have negative impacts on the environment, economy, and public health of Washington State.

WARNING! - USE CAUTION NEAR ASIAN GIANT HORNETS

Use extreme caution near Asian giant hornets. The stinger of the Asian giant hornet is longer than that of a honey bee and is more dangerous than any local bee or wasp. Typical beekeeping protective clothing is not sufficient to protect you from stings. If you find a colony, do not attempt to remove or eradicate it. Report it to WSDA immediately. Anyone who is allergic to bee or wasp stings should never approach an Asian giant hornet. 

[SOURCE: Washington State Department of Agriculture.]