Dr. Marc Siegel warned of the danger posed by the presence of so-called “murder hornets” in North America during a Monday evening “Tucker Carlson Tonight” segment.
An invasive species called the Asian giant hornet, or “murder hornet,” made news last week after the New York Times did a piece about it being spotted in Washington state last fall.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson brought Siegel in to comment on the medical danger the invasive species presents to humans as well as the nation’s honeybee population.
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“As if we didn’t have enough trouble … these 2-inch long murder hornets are vicious and they attack honeybees,” Siegel said before describing how the hornets use their talons to decapitate a honeybee in seconds.
“Meanwhile, these hornets also attack humans,” he continued. “They kill about 15 people in Japan and 50 in China every year and they have this terrible venom that can affect the liver, the kidneys, the heart. It causes heart problems.”
Although their sting is treatable and “most people survive,” people still should still be aware of the danger.
“The biggest problem with them is that they fly fast,” Siegel said. “The queen hornet can fly up to 20 miles an hour. Imagine trying to catch it. So it’s only a matter of time before it takes root in the United States and then you got to be on the lookout for it.” (RELATED: ‘Fear Is The Problem’: Stanford’s Dr. Scott Atlas Defends Reopening Stance Despite Rising Coronavirus Numbers)
Siegel told Tucker that multiple stings require immediate treatment.
“I don’t want to scare anyone — it’s only starting to take root here — but we’ve got to nip it in the bud before it becomes an even bigger problem and destroys our bees,” Siegel concluded. “Our bees pollinate flowers, plants. We need our bees.”