As if we all don't have enough to worry about with the ongoing coronavirus, now we have word that the world's largest wasps have been spotted in the U.S.

Can we just strike 2020 from the records and start over again, or maybe just speed things up and get 2021 started early? Because I don't know about you, but I don't need to read stories like this that contain the words 'murder hornets'-- especially in a story that says they've now been spotted here.

Technically, they're not really 'murder hornets,' they're actually giant hornets that are native to Asia. But they were apparently spotted in Washington state in December, and are once again coming out of hibernation again now. They won't murder you, necessarily, but they got that nickname because they DO tend to murder colonies of bees-- which the poor, beleaguered honey bee doesn't need.

This CNN story says 'murder hornets' CAN, though, be fatal in humans-- if you're repeatedly stung by them. Yeah, their sting is nasty, the story says, so nasty that they can sting right through those special suits beekeepers usually wear! Ag officials in Washington are ordering specially-reinforced suits to deal with these giant hornets.

They're asking anyone who sees these bad boys-- which are quite a bit bigger than your average hornet and sport a large orange head that almost looks like it's a cartoon-- to contact their department right away. (To see just how big they actually are, check the video below of wildlife educator, Coyote Peterson, getting stung by one of these nasty insects!)

The good news is while they HAVE been spotted in the Pacific Northwest, perhaps hitching a ride here as part of international cargo, there haven't been ANY sightings of them yet here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. At least not YET...

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