From the legendary Roman empire … to this … a true example of how the mighty have fallen.
The city of Rome is currently dealing with an infestation of hornets, according to The Guardian. But this isn’t your typical hornet plaguing the Italian capital. These little beasts have stings so powerful it put one man on crutches after he was stung on his foot.
The hornets are all over the prestigious metropolitan, attaching to nests and repopulating in vents, shutters, nooks and air conditioning units, per The Guardian.
Rome’s growing problems with trash mixed with hot temperatures are what’s being blamed for the hornet infestation, the outlet noted.
Andrea Lunerti, a zoologist and specialist in wasp removal, said those two elements are perfect for these urban warriors.
“Rome is a very dirty city with the worst management of urban waste — there are open bins everywhere,” Lunerti said, according to The Guardian. “They have the capacity to adapt to any environment and reproduce quickly.” (RELATED: Asian Hornet, Cousin Of Infamous Murder Hornet, Found In United States For First Time Ever)
And with these particular hornets — a Vespa orientalis, or oriental hornet, from north Africa and southeast Asia — “the Queens are much bigger and more frightening — they do not have the traditional dimensions of other wasps flying around the city.”
Because that doesn’t sound terrifying.
“I knew straight away that this wasn’t a normal wasp sting,” Andrea Velardi, the man forced on crutches after a vicious sting from the hornet, said, according to The Guardian. “We don’t yet understand the damage these insects can do, but I knew I had to act quickly.”
“Other than the nests, the hornets are continuously invading open spaces like terraces and terrifying people, especially if there’s food — it’s impossible to enjoy having a snack on a terrace nowadays,” Velardi said, per The Guardian.
‘Excruciating’ hornet sting leaves Rome dinner party guest on crutches as plague spreads https://t.co/NuLVqTnWLW
— Guardian Environment (@guardianeco) October 29, 2023
OG Romans have to be turning in their graves … a former empire that’s now a plagued filth-hole sending us right into the apocalypse.
In the alleged word of President Donald J. Trump: What a “shithole.”
Clean it up, Italy.