Recently it was reported that the Asian giant hornet, dubbed the "murder hornet," was spotted in Blaine, Washington. People let out a loud collective "nope" in response to the news, but it turns out nature gets a lot wilder than hornets capable of killing humans.
As the news swept across social media, a video of a praying mantis taking care of one of these hornets went viral. In the potentially upsetting clip the hornet is quickly dispatched by the mantis, which barely stood a chance, even as it attempted to sting the mantis. The mantis just chewed away on the hornet's head as it continued to twitch. Yikes.
The "murder hornet" usually kils around 50 people every year in Japan, and beekeepers across Blaine have said their hives were massacred last year. Bees from these nests had their heads ripped off, which is a common sign that Asian giant hornets got to them. Beekeeper Conrad Bérubé from Canada said when he was assigned to exterminate a hive on Vancouver Island, he was attacked by one and said it was the most painful bee sting he had ever felt.
While those hornets are no joke, it's somewhat comforting to see one swiftly destroyed by a praying mantis, a far less terrifying insect at least from a visual standpoint. Needless to say, social media was thrilled to see a "murder hornet" dealt with so quickly.
