Mutated Fukushima Giant Hornet Responsible For Multiple Nebraska Casualties - Hoax

Story:

Giant mutant killer hornets created by exposure to radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant have killed several people in Nebraska.

Other Versions

Mutated Fukushima Giant Hornet Responsible For Multiple Nebraska Casualties.

Analysis:

Circulating messages online claim that a Giant mutant killer Hornets have been created by the exposure to radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, and have killed several people in Nebraska, United States. It’s not a fact fortunately!

The source of all these messages is an article on NationalReport.net titled ‘Mutated Fukushima Giant Hornet Responsible For Multiple Nebraska Casualties.’ The article reported that Hornets, a venomous species of Asian wasp, have been exposed to the radioactive debris from the Nuclear catastrophe of Fukushima power plant in Japan, which has made them nearly quadruple in size, and that they have become hyper aggressive. It was said that the giant venomous hornets have now found its way into the United States and caused multiple casualties and deaths in Nebraska. Those are not facts!

The picture that comes with the story is taken back in Oct. 2011 by a Flickr user and shows normal Japanese Hornets Queens (Vespa mandarinia) that appear like dead. The National Report is a satirical news website meant for “citizen journalists” and does not publish facts as such. This is in fact mentioned as a disclaimer at the bottom of their page. The same website earlier reported hoax stories like Fukushima Disaster Left Hundreds of Whales Radiated to Death and Pacific Ocean Boiling due to Radioactive Waste from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

About Hornets

Hornets are wasps of the genus Vespa that live in tropical Asia, but these insects are also found in Europe, Africa, and North America. Hornets generally do not sting humans unless provoked; they will defend their nest aggressively if they feel it is threatened. Hornets can grow up to 5cm long with a 6mm sting. Some people are allergic to a Hornet’s venom and can have serious reactions to its sting.

It is to be noted that recent reports suggest that the attacks by hornets in northern China have increased considerably, killing 41 people since July 2013. This is attributed to urbanization and the drier and warmer weather that may have contributed to a rise in hornet numbers in the area.

We believe that both the issues of Hornets in China and Fukushima Nuclear power plant in Japan have been put together to create this ‘interesting’ story. No, hornets are not mutated by the nuclear radiation in Fukushima power plant of Japan and they did not attack or kill any people in Nebraska.