Think you heard the last of murder hornets? Think again! They’re back, and they’ve been rebranded as the northern giant hornet.
Gizmodo reports the Entomological Society of America decided to give the invasive, bee-eating species a brand new name. Previously but officially known as the Asian giant hornet, they will now be called the northern giant hornet in an attempt to step away from the stigmatizing geographic reference of its former name.
With a rise in anti-Asian hate in the U.S., the ESA didn’t want to use the term “Asian” for an invasive species — which could further stoke racial tensions.
ESA President Jessica Ware explained, “Common names are an important tool for entomologists to communicate with the public about insects and insect science. Northern giant hornet is both scientifically accurate and easy to understand, and it avoids evoking fear or discrimination.”
Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest is working hard to eradicate these hornets completely. Given how these creatures can destroy colonies because of their voracious appetites, people are working around the clock to sniff out and kill as many predators as they can.
The hope is to prevent them from declaring parts of the U.S. and Canada their new, permanent home. The country is grappling with a strong population decline in both wild and farmed bees, so war has been declared on these nasty hornets.