NOPE, NOT MOTHRA

Murder Hornets, Meet Your Worst Nightmare

Sure, these hornets are terrifying. But some bees have come up with a diabolical defense against them.

The news that the dreaded “murder hornet” has arrived in the U.S. for the first time sent a collective shudder across the country this weekend. After all, these insects have massive stingers, wipe out entire hives of honeybees, and kill 50-odd humans a year. But now The New York Times reports that the hornet is not as invincible as it seems. Japanese honeybees have figured out a way to defend themselves and the method is, well, a bit diabolical. Working as a team, the bees form a ball around the hornet and vibrate until the temperature rises enough to cook the hornet alive. Unfortunately, other honeybees have not caught on to the Japanese method and try to ward off attacks by stinging the hornets with little success.