CURATED BY NIKI DE WITT
As a result of China’s average rising temperature of 2 degrees, giant hornets have been swarming in mass numbers and with cruel intentions, eating honeybees and stinging people to death. One Ankang farmer experienced their horrific strength firsthand as he recounted how he was stung for three minutes while trying to help a woman and a child from the hornets. Though they remain in Asia at the moment, a smaller species of the hornet has been spotted in parts of Europe and there is a chance the Asian giant hornet could be headed to other parts of the world as temperatures rise worldwide.
FROM GRIST
If you’ve always wanted to visit China, this “… this might not be the best time. Thanks to climate change, massive numbers of Asian giant hornets (which the size of your thumb) have been rolling through Shaanxi Province, eating honeybees and stinging humans to death. And they could be coming to your area next.
In the hard-hit city of Ankang the fatality toll has been twice the 2002-2005 average; so far in the province there have been 419 injuries and 28 deaths. And that’s just humans, not honeybees, which the hornets chomp on “” well, except in Japan, where the bees have developed a pretty metal defense mechanism.
Japanese honey bees have figured out how to fight back, by cooking hornets. After surrounding a hornet in a spherical formation, Japanese honey bees engage their flight muscles, raising their collective temperature beyond what hornets can withstand”….Continue Reading
Niki is currently exploring Asia while working on a children’s book series about travel. As a child, she traveled and moved often for her parents’ jobs. As a result of this, she has always felt most at home when she’s off and away. She is interested in international films, working on building an impressive tea collection, and can often be found with her camera in hand. You can have a look-see at her blog and follow her on Twitter @nikidding.