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Where 'Murder Hornets' Came From : Short Wave Reports of so-called 'murder hornets' have been all over the news this week. (Even though they were first spotted in the United States late last year.) We talk with entomologist Samuel Ramsey who explains how much of a threat the Asian giant hornet could be to honeybees throughout the country. And, he shares his own encounter fighting these insects while researching bees in Thailand.

Short Wave

Here's The Deal With 'Murder Hornets'

Here's The Deal With 'Murder Hornets'

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Vespa mandarinia, or the 'murder hornet', was first spotted in North America in 2019. Alastair Macewen/Getty Images hide caption

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Alastair Macewen/Getty Images

Vespa mandarinia, or the 'murder hornet', was first spotted in North America in 2019.

Alastair Macewen/Getty Images

Reports of so-called 'murder hornets' have been all over the news this week. (Even though they were first spotted in the United States late last year.) We talk with entomologist Samuel Ramsey who explains how much of a threat the Asian giant hornet could be to honeybees throughout the country. And, he shares his own encounter fighting these insects while researching bees in Thailand.

Follow Maddie on Twitter and Samuel on Instagram. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

This episode was produced by Brit Hanson and Emily Vaughn. Viet Le was the editor.