Asian Murder Hornets Vs. Japanese Honeybees
How bees create a heat ball of death to defend themselves.
Asian murder hornets were first sighted in British Columbia’s Vancouver Island in August 2019. Scientists think that they were accidentally brought over via shipping containers. From here, they have slowly been cropping up across the western hemisphere. By December 2019, they reached the United States.
They are considered a harmful, invasive species because native species simply cannot compete with them. As prey, our native bee species haven’t adapted or evolved to outmaneuver these hornets. Beekeepers, while already dealing with colony collapse disorder and counterfeit honey, have another problem to deal with. Asian murder hornets decapitate native honeybees and destroy their hives.
The Hornet
Considered the world’s largest hornet, Asian giant hornets are 1.5 to 2 inches long. Most native wasps and bees are only around 1/4 to 1 inch. Because their stingers are so long, they are able to sting through common beekeeper suits. With this said, deaths are very rare and primarily occur because of allergic reactions. They get the name “murder hornets” because approximately 50 people die annually from their stings.
Despite their horror movie name, giant size, and invasive status, some Asian countries have found benefits to giant Asian hornets. Some communities, like in Nagaland, serve hornets and their larvae as a delicacy. Hornet’s venom is also used by traditional healers, thought to treat many ailments, like joint pain and toothaches.
The Bees
Native United States bee populations don’t know how to combat giant Asian hornets. Evolution never needed to adapt to develop counter-attacks or defenses against murder hornets. That’s what makes an invasive species have so much potential for damage. Like invasive jumping worms that destroy the soil for trees, Asian giant hornets decimate honeybees and pollinator species. During one recorded attack, researchers noted that 1 western honeybee was killed every 14 seconds by an Asian murder hornet.
They simply haven’t had the time for evolution, when faced with a new environment, to selectively pick traits that help honeybees survive. This isn’t to say there is no hope for native bee species; it is just that evolution takes thousands upon thousands of generations before new traits emerge. Asian honeybees are a prime example of this because they have figured out how to defend against these giants.
When a hornet enters the hive of an eastern honeybee colony, the bees attack. Despite their relatively small size, each bee being about 0.5 inches (3–4 times smaller than a giant Asian Hornet), they swarm the wasp. Rather than stinging or biting, the honeybees overwhelm the wasp’s attempt to prevent escape. As they do this, they begin to vibrate. Working in unison, this swarm of honeybees begin producing heat from the vibrations. The temperature rises to over 115 degrees. While the bees can survive at this temperature, the hornet cannot. The grouping of bees cook the hornet to death.
Do Western Honeybees Stand A Chance?
Yes and no. Asian hornets that find western hives can cause devastating damage. Thankfully, Asian giant hornets aren’t prevalent within the United States. A handful of cases have been noticed, but environmental agencies are actively monitoring for any sightings of the invasive species.
The best thing individuals can do is to alert authorities of insect sightings. However, do not attempt to kill them because Cicada killers are both native US species and look very similar to giant Asian hornets.
There are some native bee species that have been able to fight against the invasion of murder hornets. The buff-tailed bumblebee did not evolve to directly defend against Asian hornets, but defenses against native species also work against the species. When attacked, the bumblebees drop to the ground, causing either the hornet to lose its grip or allowing time for the bee to raise its stinger to fight back.
Only time will tell the impact giant Asian hornets have on native species. In the meantime, all humans can do is try to protect their local populations of honeybees.
