A dead Asian giant hornet, known as a "murder hornet," was discovered near Seattle Wednesday – the first confirmed sighting of its kind in the U.S. this year. Entomologists from Washington, British Columbia, and U.S. federal agencies joined forces in a virtual press conference on March 17 to detail their plans to track, trap and eradicate any Asian giant hornets they find in 2021. Social media and media reports have declared them "murder hornets," since they are responsible for an estimated 30 to 50 deaths a year in Japan, and in China caused 42 deaths and injured at 1,675 in 2013. While they do not generally attack people, they will attack when they feel threatened. The hornets are one of the newest invasive species to enter the U.S. and are thought to have arrived by cargo ship or airplane. Scientists have determined how and where the Asian giant hornet could spread and find an ideal habitat, both in the United States and worldwide.