Please stop killing bumble bees: They're not 'murder hornets'

EVERETT — It’s been happening at an alarming rate since a New York Times article telling of “murder hornets” settling in Washington, published in early May.

People are mistaking bumblebees and other backyard pollinators for Asian giant hornets, killing them, taking a photo and sending it to local beekeeping clubs or the state’s pest control division.

The state has received thousands of such calls and emails, some from as far as the Idaho and Oregon borders, state Department of Agriculture department spokesperson Karla Salp said. Local beekeeping clubs are getting calls, too.

Only five of them were correct. Three in Washington, and two in Canada.

“People aren’t very good at identifying their pollinators,” Northwest District Beekeepers Association board member Meagan Wells said.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/please-stop-killing-bumble-bees-theyre-not-murder-hornets/

They don't look anything alike.


Bumble bee



Murder hornet.