Japanese honeybees reportedly learned how to ‘cook’ murder hornet

Asian giant hornets have made their way to the U.S.

A new invasive pest has made its way to North America and it's threatening to decimate the honeybee population. They are called Asian giant hornets, also known as 'murder hornets.'

Deadly hornets from Asia that measure up to 2 inches and can wipe out entire honeybee colonies within hours have been spotted for the first time in the U.S.

The so-called “murder hornets” – which also are blamed for killing 50 people a year in Japan – have been spotted in Washington state. According to The New York Times, they can rip through a hive and kill a bee every 14 seconds.

(Washington State Department of Agriculture)

But researchers are describing an interesting defense being employed against the menacing hornet: the Japanese honeybee. Bees in Japan have been known to form a ball around the invader and vibrate to produce heat, which can essentially cook a hornet to death. The report said bees can survive in extreme temperatures and can kill a hornet in an hour.

The Times reported that European honeybee – which are common in the U.S. – try to sting the hornet, which proves futile due to their tough exoskeleton. A researcher told the paper that the Japanese honeybee learned to adapt through generations.

“Our honeybees, the predator has never been there before, so they have no defense,” Ruthie Danielsen, a beekeeper in Washington, told the Times.