'Yak-Killer': naming the Asian giant hornet
This week I was on our local NPR station as part of a group of guests talking about creating pollinator-friendly habitats. But what we spent a good chunk of time talking about was the honey bee-killing Asian giant hornet. As my friend and host of the show, Megan Mack, said in the intro: like we need one more thing in 2020. And yet here we are, with one more thing.
You've probably gotten all the information you need or want about Vespa mandarinia by now. Or maybe you've tried to avoid the news all together because of how these things typically get covered – with greater hype than accuracy. I've actually found the coverage interesting, generally informative and a welcome break from the coronavirus news cycle. Invasive species are always a fascinating entry point to talking about ecology, evolution and human actions. Below is a round-up of some of the various news items that caught my attention this week and are worth sharing.
We did receive feedback from one listener about the specific name we're using for this hornet (all spelling and grammar is in context):
“I feel compelled to point out that it's inappropriate to refer to the giant hornet (aka murder hornet) as the ‘Asian Hornet’. We all live in one planet & we have to deal of all harmful species wherever they abound. The ‘Asian’ naming reminds me of the ‘Chinese Virus’”
This is a point well-taken: We should be thoughtful about the language we use to describe negative or harmful events like an invasive species or a virus. However, as journalists, we're often compelled to use the same language being used by our sources, especially when quoting. We can't just alter what someone else is saying.
But May Berenbaum, professor and head of the entomology department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, serendipitously tweeted an article she wrote in 2014 that included several different regional names for the hornet: the yak-killer hornet, the commander wasp, the giant sparrow bee, and the tiger head bee.
So I asked the people of Twitter what they thought the best name might be for V. mandarinia:
“Sparrow wasp, or perhaps honeybee hunter (along the same lines as ‘cicada killer’). It doesn't make sense to call it a bee!” Emily May, @emtomology
“YES. What @emtomology said. Do not use a name that includes bee. BAD idea. I still remember the first time someone told me that a meat bee (aka yellow jacket) was invading their picnic. What an unfortunate association. Let's not make that mistake!” Rich Hatfield, @rghatfield
“Of these options I of course have to choose the only one that still calls it a hornet (not a bee!) but in my heart-of-hearts their common name shall remain ‘Buzzkills’” Delvan Neville, PhD, @DrDelvan
“Let’s not make it even more confusing than it is now! And what is wrong with ‘Asian giant hornet’? Or should we remove all references to regions from animal names? What about the ‘German wasp’ and the ‘European hornet’? If you don’t like that, just use the Latin names.” De Wespenvriend, @wespenvriend
“In Korea, common name is ‘general officer hornet’. That one gets my vote.” Elaine Evans, @fuzzybumblebee
“When ‘mandarinia’ is unique, international, and memorable, why does anyone need to make up a new “common” name, especially when the species may not have established in N America yet?” Paul Williams, @PaulWilliamsNHM
I don’t know, people. “Yak-killer” is really calling to me.
Just a reminder: The podcast is now on a biweekly schedule. No episode this week, but there will be a brand new one next week. Thanks!
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A recap of this week’s ‘murder hornet’ coverage
‘Murder hornets’ in the US: The rush to stop the Asian giant hornet
(New York Times) Sightings of the Asian giant hornet have prompted fears that the vicious insect could establish itself in the United States and devastate bee populations. With queens that can grow to two inches long, Asian giant hornets can use mandibles shaped like spiked shark fins to wipe out a honeybee hive in a matter of hours, decapitating the bees and flying away with the thoraxes to feed their young.
Murder hornets vs. honey bees: A swarm of bees can cook invaders alive
(New York Times) When a hornet enters the hive of Japanese honey bees, hundreds of bees can respond by forming a ball around a hornet. The bees work together and vibrate to produce heat, raising the temperature in the formation to over 115 degrees, cooking the hornet to a temperature it cannot survive. “The honeybee in Japan has adapted with this predator and learned through generations to protect themselves. Our honeybees, the predator has never been there before, so they have no defense.”
In Japan, the ‘murder hornet’ is both a lethal threat and a tasty treat
(New York Times) Long before the Asian giant hornet began terrorizing the honeybees of Washington State, the ferocious insects posed a sometimes lethal threat to hikers and farmers in the mountains of rural Japan. But in the central Chubu region, these insects — sometimes called “murder hornets” — are known for more than their aggression and excruciating sting. They are seen as a pleasant snack and an invigorating ingredient in drinks.
Conservation
Where have all the insects gone?
(National Geographic) If humans were to suddenly disappear, biologist Edward O. Wilson has famously observed, the Earth would “regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed 10,000 years ago.” But “if insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” Without insects to pollinate them, most flowering plants, from daisies to dogwoods, would die out. It is, therefore, shocking – and alarming – that in most places scientists have looked recently, they’ve found that insect numbers are falling.
Why bees are finally getting a break
(BBC) Lockdowns have put a number of insect-harming practices on hold, creating a friendlier world for wild bees – and conservationists hope some of these changes could be here to stay.
Economics
Emergence of deadly honey bee disease revealed
(EurekAlert/Newcastle University) A new study shows that honey bee colonies from across the U.K. are increasingly suffering from chronic bee paralysis. The scientists also found that clusters of chronic bee paralysis, where disease cases are found close together, were becoming more frequent. Symptoms include abnormal trembling, an inability to fly, and the development of shiny, hairless abdomens. Infected bees die within a week.
Policy/Law
‘Sweet City’: the Costa Rica suburb that gave citizenship to bees, plants and trees
(The Guardian) The move to extend citizenship to pollinators, trees and native plants in Curridabat has been crucial to the municipality’s transformation from an unremarkable suburb of the Costa Rican capital, San José, into a pioneering haven for urban wildlife.
Science
Study finds natural fires help native bees, improve food security
(University of California, Riverside) New research has found that native bees are better able to survive harsh climate events, like drought, in areas where naturally occurring fires are allowed to burn.
New ancient plant captures snapshot of evolution leading to seeds and flowers
(Stanford University) Researchers have discovered an ancient plant species whose reproductive biology captures the evolution from one to two spore sizes – an essential transition to the success of the seed and flowering plants we depend on.
One More Thing…
From Jay Hosler @Jay_Hosler, biologist, cartoonist and the author of Clan Apis, via Twitter.