Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C., Washington team up against giant hornets

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Mar, 2021 11:02 PM
  • B.C., Washington team up against giant hornets

Officials with the British Columbia and Washington state agriculture departments along with U.S. federal agencies are teaming up to trap, track and destroy invasive Asian giant hornets, which threaten honeybees.

The so-called murder hornets have been found on both sides of the border, in B.C.'s Fraser Valley, on Vancouver Island and in Blaine, Wash., where a nest containing nearly 200 queens was discovered and destroyed last year.

A full news conference on the governments' plans is set for Wednesday, but Washington's Agriculture Department says in a release it's preparing to bait and trap this year along with a strong emphasis on help from the public.

The release says the focus in Washington will be in Whatcom County, where Asian giant hornets were detected in 2019 and 2020, while B.C.'s surveillance program will include traps where hornets have been found.

The hornets are considered a serious honeybee predator with a large orange head, mandibles and a wingspan up to seven centimetres.

The statement says public reports have been crucial for locating the pests and both B.C. and Washington are urging residents to be on the lookout.

The hornet's life cycle begins in April when queens emerge from hibernation, to feed on sap and fruit and look for nesting grounds.

Washington is encouraging residents in several counties to participate in trapping starting in July using orange juice or a brown sugar-based bait.

MORE National ARTICLES

Police-involved shooting investigated in Victoria

Police-involved shooting investigated in Victoria
Police say the victim is believed to have non-life-threatening injuries and no officers were hurt.

Police-involved shooting investigated in Victoria

Canada-U.S. border will open 'eventually': Trudeau

Canada-U.S. border will open 'eventually': Trudeau
Trudeau says Canadians are looking forward to the day when incidental cross-border travel can "eventually" resume.

Canada-U.S. border will open 'eventually': Trudeau

Kielburger brothers to appear at ethics committee

Kielburger brothers to appear at ethics committee
The brothers' appearance had been in doubt after an extraordinary back and forth with MPs last week over their conditions for responding to the committee’s summons.

Kielburger brothers to appear at ethics committee

Trudeau offers reassurance on AstraZeneca safety

Trudeau offers reassurance on AstraZeneca safety
Trudeau said Health Canada regulators are constantly analyzing all the available information about vaccines and have guaranteed those approved in Canada are safe for use.

Trudeau offers reassurance on AstraZeneca safety

New COVID outbreak at Vancouver General Hospital

New COVID outbreak at Vancouver General Hospital
A statement from Vancouver Coastal Health says two patients have tested positive for COVID-19 on an in-patient unit in the hospital's Jim Pattison Pavilion.

New COVID outbreak at Vancouver General Hospital

B.C. accelerates COVID-19 vaccination bookings

B.C. accelerates COVID-19 vaccination bookings
An estimated 100,000 people are included in the 80 to 84-year-old group and phone appointments are the only way to make a booking in all regions except Fraser Health.

B.C. accelerates COVID-19 vaccination bookings