Recently, colossal hornets have been spotted in the United States that received nationwide news.
What are Murder Hornets?
Murder Hornets, also known as Asian Giant Hornets, are the world’s largest hornet. With a body length of 1.7 inches (45mm), wingspan around 3 inches (75mm), and a stinger of a whopping 1/4 inch (6mm), it is the largest hornet on the planet. With its 6mm length stinger, it has the capability to inject large amounts of potent venom. It feeds on larger insects, tree sap, and honey from honeybees. They prefer to live in low mountains and forests. Avoiding plains and high altitude climates.
Where are Murder Hornet Found?
They are quite common in Japan and can be found in rural areas. They build nests in trees and since rural Japan has plenty, it provides them with a conducive setting. Other countries where murder hornets can be found are Russia, Korea, China, Taiwan, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka.
A murder hornet was spotted at Blaine, Washington, United States in December of 2019. Since then, it has been in the news and is one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter.
Should I be Worried about Murder Hornets?
Murder hornets have proved to be murderous for honey bees as they feed on honey. An approximated number of 50 people have been killed by this hornet. Taking this number into consideration, and the fact that they won’t attack you unless you harm their nest, it can be said that you need not be worried.
Why Mosquitoes are More Worrisome?
There are more than 3000 species of mosquitoes. If we take a look at the numbers, 7,000,000 people die from mosquito-borne illness in just one year. An outbreak of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or EEE took place in 2019 in the US. It infected around 38 people and killed 15 died. This news was revealed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If we compare the two numbers i.e. the number of deaths caused by mosquitoes and murder hornets, mosquitoes are definitely more worrisome.
How to Kill Mosquitoes?
The most common method for killing mosquitoes is to remove their habitat. By removing still water around your home or business, mosquitoes are unable to lay their eggs. In case you can’t remove still/standing water, you may need to rely on pesticides. Chemicals such as permethrin are very effective against mosquitoes. It can often be applied using mosquito foggers, which apply an even mist or fog that can penetrate hard to reach areas where mosquitoes may breed.
Conclusion
As medical professionals describe it, a disease vector is an agent that can carry and transmit an infectious pathogen to another living organism. In most cases, a vector refers to blood-feeding insects like mosquitoes and ticks. There are countless diseases that mosquitoes carry and many that are still prevalent in the United States. Although it would not be ideal to cross paths with the world's largest hornet, you should feel very comfortable if you don't bother it. Mosquitoes on the other hand with bite you unprovoked. Precautionary steps like pest control are very important and can help you avoid mosquito bites in the first place.
