Three hikers hospitalized after giant hornet attack in…
A 60-year-old hiker was stung more than ten times when a hiking group of eight was attacked by a swarm of Asian giant hornets in Taiwan yesterday (August 27).
The group was walking along the Shiding hiking trail in New Taipei when the incident occurred. The emergency call was received by rescue workers at around 4 p.m. local time. The New Taipei Fire Department’s fourth brigade dispatched 15 vehicles and 32 firefighters to the scene, reports Taiwan News.
Three of the hikers were stung; a 60-year-old man, Mr. Zhuang, was stung more than 10 times, while two of his colleagues – a 71-year-old man, Mr. Chen, and a 56-year-old woman named Lin – were stung twice. All three experienced chest tightness, swelling from the stings and other discomforts.
Rescue personnel escorted the hikers to the starting point and sent them to Taipei City Wanfang Hospital for treatment.
The hiking group set out on Wednesday morning around 9 a.m. and encountered the swarm of hornets shortly before the end of their hike.
According to Chen Chih-wei, commander of the Fourth Brigade, autumn is peak season for hornets. He advises hikers to remain calm when encountering hornets and avoid panicking or making quick movements. Although it may be counterintuitive, retreating slowly is the best chance of avoiding stings. Hornets are more likely to go into attack mode if you make sudden movements – such as slapping motions – or use objects to scare them away.
Drones of the Asian giant hornet are usually between 35 and 40 mm long. The stinger of an Asian giant hornet is usually 6 mm long and releases a powerful venom that can kill a human if stung multiple times or if they experience a rare allergic reaction.
It is also good to know that the best insect repellents against hornets are mint (which wasps also don’t like) or catnip.
