An official with Whatcom County Government posted to their Facebook page this morning about the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA) eradication of the first known Asian giant hornet (AGH) nest in the US.
The Asian Giant Hornet eradication crew, which included WSDA, USDA and, oddly enough, the Discovery Channel, went to work in the wee hours of the morning to neutralize a nest in the Blaine area. The nest, which was located in a tree trunk, was sealed, vacuumed and then injected with carbon dioxide to asphyxiate whatever remained in the cavity. The nest will later be removed and dissected for further study by entomologists.Whatcom County Government Facebook post (October 24, 2020)
WSDA officials said during a press conference yesterday that they would be eradicating the nest at about 4am today, October 24th.
WSDA shared the following photos and video via their Facebook page dedicated to the AGHs in the US.