Can Honeybees ‘Cook’ a ‘Murder Hornet’ Alive?
No, honeybees cannot “cook” a “murder hornet” alive. Murder hornets are large, aggressive wasps native to East Asia, and they are capable of decapitating honeybees with ease. Honeybees, due to their smaller size and weaker sting, are not physically capable of killing a murder hornet. Instead, honeybees employ different defense strategies when faced with a predator. For instance, when a murder hornet enters a bee hive, the bees will swarm the hornet in large numbers to try and overwhelm it. This tactic may cause the hornet to flee, but it is not typically fatal to the hornet.
In addition to swarming, honeybees release alarm pheromones to signal other bees to help defend the hive. They also produce propolis, a sticky substance made from sap and beeswax, which they use to trap and immobilize certain predators. However, these defense mechanisms are unlikely to be effective against murder hornets, given their large size and strong sting. Therefore, while honeybees can mount a defense, they cannot “cook” or kill a murder hornet alive through their actions.
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