Murder Hornets, Of Course
If 2020 needed a mascot, it found one in murder hornets. The invasive pests showed up in the U.S. in April, to the horror of just about everyone. Scientists referred to them as a “shockingly large hornet” and “something out of a monster cartoon.” Need we repeat: 2020 mascot.
The hornets have a nasty sting, but they’re mostly known for their ability to completely ravage a hive of honey bees in their native range in Asia, though at least bees there have developed some defenses. In the U.S., though, bees haven’t evolved with murder hornets, leaving them defenseless against predation. Scientists have been racing to round up the hornets and eradicate them before they can wreak havoc on U.S. bees, which are already dying at an alarming rate. Even if conservationists are able to get them all, we’ll still have to worry about native horror creatures like a caterpillar with vomit-inducing fur. But better the enemy you know, amirite?
