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UArizona assistant professor explains 'Murder Hornets' risk to honeybees

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TUCSON, Ariz. — Scientists are tracking another environmental danger -- a dangerous hornet breed from Asia called 'Murder Hornets.'

The murder hornets are not in Arizona, but have been reported in Washington state.

The two-inch hornets are not aggressive toward humans but have an appetite for honey bees.

UArizona assistant professor for school of natural resource and environment Katy Prudic said "You have a scout that goes out marks a honey bee hive, then she goes back to her hornet hive brings a bunch of her friends and they will come in and decimate the honeybee hive."

The hornets do sting humans when agitated and kill between 30 and 50 people in Japan every year.

Washington's State Department of Agriculture plans to begin hunting the hornets and protecting the vulnerable bee populations.