The Asian giant hornet, also known as the "murder hornet," which is native to Japan and Korea, has been identified in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
While experts continue to try and find out how it made it across the Pacific Ocean, many believe it was through one of the many shipping ports on the western coast of the United States and Canada.
The "murder hornet" is the largest hornet in the world, spanning about 2 inches in length, and gets its name from its aggressive nature towards social insects, such as honeybees.
The "murder hornet" has the potential to kill up to 40 honeybees a minute during an attack, tearing off their heads and feeding on their torsos. But experts say "murder hornets" pose little threat to humans, and although their sting can be very painful, are no more dangerous than any other American hornet.
"There’s a big concern, not for us," said statewide apiculture and pollinator specialist with Clemson University Ben Powell. "I know the word 'murder' kind of makes us think it’s going to affect us, but really the concern is for honeybees. This particular hornet, has a tendency to attack honeybee colonies and of course honeybees are critical for agriculture in the United States."