Researchers Develop 'Sex Traps' for Eradicating Asian Giant Hornets

The invasive Asian giant hornet that has in recent years ravaged honeybee hives in parts of British Columbia and Washington could possibly be wiped out for good with “sex traps” developed by U.S. and Chinese researchers.

Writing in the journal Current Biology, they say key ingredients in the sex pheromones of the “murder hornets” can be put into traps, luring the males from the queens and preventing them from mating. Test traps have proven successful, attracting only males.

“In two field seasons, we were able to rapidly collect thousands of males that were attracted to the odor,” said biologist and co-author James Nieh.