Farm Progress America, Dec. 24, 2024

Mike Pearson tells listeners how efforts to stop the Northern Giant Hornet have been successful which is good news for farmers and bee keepers.

The Northern Giant Hornet which is also known as the Murder Hornet first appeared in 2019.

The Northern Giant Hornets are known to decimate honey bee hives in a number of hours.

They posed a serious threat not only to bees but to crops as well since honey bees are responsible for pollinating $15 billion in crops a year.

The steps to eradicate the Northern Giant Hornet began almost immediately. The USDA and Washington Department of Agriculture took steps to eradicate the hornet immediately.

Researchers set traps, deployed radio trackers and destroyed nests before hornets could establish a stronghold.

The campaign started seeing success when no new nests were in 2023 or 2024.

This meant the first eradication of the Murder Hornets in the state of Washington.

This was a win for the bee keepers which were bracing for major losses from the loss of bees and their pollination.

The Northern Giant Hornet is prevalent in Asia and they could return to the USA at any point. The insects are known for their size and distinctive color.

Anyone seeing the Northern Giant Hornet are asked to report sightings so they don't gain ground in the USA.

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Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness .