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Washington state is at war with murder hornets

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The Washington state Department of Agriculture removing a murder hornet nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)
The Washington state Department of Agriculture removing a murder hornet nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)

Washington state officials are still waging a war against murder hornets.

Since late August, state entomologists have found and destroyed three murder hornet nests. Last fall, they found and destroyed the first.

The invasive species, also known as Asian giant hornets, kill honeybees — which are important for crop fertilization and already dwindling in population.

Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd talks with Karla Salp from the Washington State Department of Agriculture about the efforts to eradicate this invasive pest.

Murder hornets leaving the nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)
Murder hornets leaving the nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)
The Washington state Department of Agriculture removing a murder hornet nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)
The Washington state Department of Agriculture removing a murder hornet nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)
Murder hornets leaving the nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)
Murder hornets leaving the nest. (Courtesy of the Washington state Department of Agriculture)

This segment aired on October 1, 2021.

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