Reviews of Science for Science Librarians: “Murder Hornets:” Vespa Mandarinia Japonica

ABSTRACT

Asian giant hornets—Vespa mandarinia japonica—have unexpectedly emerged at a few sites in the Pacific Northwest. Thus far they have been successfully exterminated. While humans are not the intended prey of these giant hornets, their stings are extremely painful, often medically complicated, and annually result in several dozen deaths in their Asian home range. These hornets are a far greater threat to honeybee hives which they raid, slaughtering on sight all the bees and their brood over a week or more. These attacks not only reduce honey production but threaten the billions of dollars in crop pollination services honeybees provide.

KEYWORDS:

• Asian giant hornets
• devastation of honeybee populations
• excruciatingly painful insect stings
• Vespa mandarinia
• Vespa mandarinia japonica