"Murder hornet" discovered in Abbotsford neighbourhood

Nov 3 2020, 9:31 pm

Abbotsford-area beekeepers and residents are being asked to report any Asian giant hornet sightings following the discovery of one hornet in the Fraser Valley this past Monday, November 2.

Found in the 7000 block of Bradner Road, this latest discovery comes after single hornets were found in White Rock and Langley in 2019, and on 0 Avenue in Langley in 2020. A nest has never been found in the Fraser Valley or Lower Mainland, although one was discovered on Vancouver Island in Nanaimo last year.

 Hornet

BC Ministry of Agriculture

The province said that survey efforts in the Fraser Valley in 2020 have focused on surveillance and trap monitoring along 0 Avenue with the support of local beekeepers and other organizations.

And although Asian giant hornet activity “declines rapidly” as colder temperatures arrive, officials are still encouraging people to report possible findings. This can be done through calling the Invasive Species Council of BC at 1 888 933-3722, via the council’s Report Invasive mobile phone app, or online.

A sting from an Asian giant hornet can be very painful and cause localized swelling, redness and itching due to the larger amount of venom injected, officials have warned.

However, the hornets are not interested in humans, pets, or large animals. The hornets hunt insects for food and will only attack people when their nest is disturbed.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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