Nest Zero traces the arrival of the first Asian giant hornets ever found in North America. An inside look at the battle to keep them from spreading in Washington and British Columbia.
Nest Zero is a fifteen minute documentary featuring firsthand accounts of what it feels like to be stung by a “murder hornet”, interviews with beekeepers, entomologists and an overview of the threat that Asian giant hornets pose to humans, honeybees, and the crops that depend on them. From Nanaimo, B.C. to Bellingham, WA – Nest Zero provides a comprehensive overview of when and where the hornets have popped up since they were discovered here in 2019. Animated maps reveal the scale of the challenge to locate hidden nests on both sides of the border before new queens emerge. You’ll hear from some of the first people to come in contact with Asian giant hornets in the U.S. and Canada. Experts shed light on the odds of stopping the spread of Earth’s largest hornet species in what could be prime habitat and the shocking second discovery that points to more challenges ahead.
*The title refers to the name assigned to the specimens in cryogenic storage at the Smithsonian’s biorepository. The specimens are from the first nest found in the United States near Blaine, Washington in Whatcom County.