Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has partnered with Texas A&M to create a “murder hornet” task force.
The task force will be led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas A&M Department of Entomology, and the Center for Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense, according to a report published Wednesday by KBTX.
The Asian giant hornet or so-called “murder hornet” has been spotted in the United States for the time first time ever, and that has caused concern for officials in Texas. https://t.co/Wvk78nYdiT
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) May 7, 2020
“Part of our response is preparing our state entry points for cargo transportation,” director of the Center for Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense Greg Pompelli said. “We are developing training for Customs and Border Protection staff to be able to detect the Asian giant hornet. We are also increasing surveillance of incoming containers and evaluating opportunities for specialized detection, such as possibly using scent-trained dogs to find these hornets hidden in cargo or luggage.” (RELATED: Deadly Asian ‘Murder Hornets’ Have Come To North America)
The “murder hornet,” known formally as Asian giant hornets, are prevalent in countries such as Japan, the Koreas and Pakistan, but have been spotted in Washington state recently.
The hornets attack beehives which could affect pollination and crops in the United States.
The task force is set to provide beekeepers with education on the hornets as well as other Texans while also working to make sure the hornets do not enter Texas.