The giant Asian hornet, commonly referred to as the "murder hornet" has made its way to the United States, with Washington State being the first to report its devastation. If you were freaked out by the news that "murder hornets" have arrived in the United States, you'll be comforted by this video showing exactly how fast a praying mantis can attack and devour their heads - while they're still alive.
Just like every other creature in the universe, murder hornets are part of the food chain, and their nemesis is the praying mantis. Mantis, who can reach up to 6-inches in length, typically feed on moths, crickets, grasshoppers, and flies. The females are also known to eat their mate just after or even during the mating process. These videos show a praying mantis quickly capturing a murder hornet and devouring its head while its still alive.
Murder hornets can reach 2-inches in length and are equipped with powerful stingers that can actually puncture a beekeeper's suit and inject the same amount of toxic venom as some snakes. Japan reports that these giant hornets often attack in groups and kill roughly 50 people each year in their country.
The environment impact of these hornets is considerable since they mostly feed on other bees who the agriculture industry and farmers rely on to pollinate plants and produce honey. The hornets are known to wipe out entire colonies of bees, biting their heads off and feeding the thoraxes to their young. Beekeepers have found thousands of headless bee carcasses littering the ground around hives after the murder hornets pass through.
Praying mantis are completely carnivorous eating other insects and their same species. If provoked, they may bit humans, but their bites are not venomous and not know to cause harm to people.