Given this species effects on the ecosystem it has where introduced in Europe (it would presumably be similar in North America), these almost should be demonized.
Welcome to America, murder hornets
- Thread starter DavidBrown
- Start date
The term "murder hornet" does sound a bit more urgent than "Asian giant hornet"... though given current events it may simply increase people's anxieties about leaving their homes.
I find the term "murder hornet" hilarious, but as an educator and scientist I am also sensitive to the history of animals like predators being wrongly attacked. In this case the invasion of the wasps into the environment would be a very bad problem as you suggest, but being careful of how we characterize animal behavior is also important.
I think you must have seen European hornets in UK, rather than Japanese ones. The native ones are an impressive size, but not on same scale as their eastern cousins. I've never heard of Japanese hornets in Britain.
They are an invasive species in parts of Europe, including the UK.
Sorry I think we are getting our hornets mixed up. I was referring to the massive Japanese or Asian Giant Hornet Vespa mandarinia and not the Asian hornet.
From Wikipedia: The Asian giant hornet is often confused with the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), also known as the Asian hornet, an invasive species of major concern across Europe, including the UK.
Everybody keeps using the word 'giant' and 'killer' so I thought that it would be the big one. Trust the media to confuse things. So I'm not sure which species has invaded the Americas...
Ah okay.
You are correct that it is Vespa mandarinia that is showing up in North America.
Well, that's great.