Honey Bees Fend off Giant Hornets with Animal Feces
Published:10 Dec.2020 Source:University of Guelph
U of G researchers have discovered honeybees in Vietnam collect and apply spots of animal dung around hive entrances to deter deadly nest raids by an Asian hornet (Vespa soror) whose North American cousins have been dubbed "murder hornets." This finding is also the first to document the use of tools by honeybees.
An invasive species in North America that came originally from Asia, giant hornets are almost as long as a golf tee and pack about seven times as much venom in a single sting as an ordinary honeybee.