Remember in 2016, it seemed like every celebrity died that year? And all we did was rip on the year as though it were a person that said something mean to us? Well, I think we've effectively replaced that with 2020. I think we'd all love to go back to this time 4 years ago.

These days, 2020 seems like a back alley, no limit game of craps. Like anything could happen. It's as though the world that The Running Man takes place in is real. Murphy's Law has been broken by us, and we're paying the price all year long. Natural disasters, celebrities dying, and of course, COVID-19.

As we raged full force into the coronavirus, a nasty, not-so-little insect made it's way into the headlines. For a few weeks, everywhere you turned, all you heard about were murder hornets. Every headline, every article you saw... murder hornets. It started to feel like one of those 70's sci-fi disaster movies, like when tarantulas or rabbits would take over a whole town.

We all wondered if somehow they were going to breach our precious safe zone over here on the upper right-hand coast. Suffice it to say, we're safe over here. There's been one sighting in Washington state, and that's it. But, it does turn out that a very near twin of the dreaded murder hornets lives right here in Maine.

Murder hornets are a variety from Asia. The ones we have here in Maine are European. They're basically harmless. Yes, if provoked they might sting you, and it'll suck, but it won't be much different than what you're used to. But according to WGME - TV13, they're more beneficial to us than their murderous counterparts.

Murder hornets get their name because they attack, and kill honey bees by decapitation. Yuck! They eat the eggs and keep advancing their menacing lifestyle. On the other hand, the European bees eat caterpillars. So that actually does us quite a favor.

Because they look so much alike, it's led to the state getting a lot of calls from folks thinking their seeing murder hornets. Luckily, they're just seeing their laid back, euro-cousins. Since I can't find a photo of them that I can legally use for free, check out this link at the state of Maine's website. It's pretty cool stuff!

And remember, that big giant hornet won't hurt you..... much.

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