The Asian giant hornet, popularly known as the “murder hornet,” has been a source of increasing worry in the United States. 

The invasive hornet — the world’s largest — can decimate entire hives of honeybees, which are necessary to pollinate many crops. The hornets can lay waste to tens of thousands of bees within just a few hours.

They also can deliver painful stings to humans. Their venom is so potent, it can dissolve human flesh and can kill a mouse in a few seconds.

In October 2020, a nest was spotted and eradicated in Washington state.

With queens that can grow to two inches long, the Asian Giant uses spiked fins to wipe out a honeybee hive in a matter of hours, decapitating the bees and flying away with the thoraxes to feed their young. 

A giant hornet’s sting can deliver a lot of venom — some 1,100 micrograms (dry weight). That is more than seven times as much as a honeybee delivers. The hornet venom also has a strong knockdown power. Based on what venom did to lab animals, researchers say that just one full sting would have a 50 percent chance of killing a decent-sized rodent.