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Popular Mechanics: What You Should Know About Murder Hornets

Are these bugs really deserving of such a menacing nickname? Here's the truth.

The nickname alone is pretty menacing: murder hornet. Based on that moniker, you might assume these critters are out for blood—but that’s not the case.

Even though murder hornets—known as Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia)—are typically more aggressive and larger than your average hornet (they can grow between 1.5 and 2 inches long), they don’t really deserve their bad rep.

You might be concerned about reports that V. mandarinia has been spotted in the U.S. for the first time, especially since they’re an invasive species and their presence could spell doom for native honey bees, so Popular Mechanics spoke to two experts—Katie Lee, Ph.D., a researcher studying bee health, and Matt Bertone, Ph.D., the director of the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic at North Carolina State University—to discover what all the buzz is about. Here’s what they had to say.

Read the full article from Daisy Hernandez on Popular Mechanic's website here: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a32644672/murder-hornet-faq/