'Murder Hornet' Nest Cracked Open For Study

SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Agriculture has begun to study the Asian giant hornet nest their researchers recovered from a Blaine property last weekend.

The nest is the first ever discovered on U.S. soil, found late last week buried in a tree on a Blaine, Washington property near the border with Canada. Researchers had been searching for the nest since last winter, when locals first reported several suspect insect carcasses.

After the discovery the nest was eradicated Saturday, when a team of researchers in protective suits used specialized equipment to vacuum 98 of the hornets out of the log.

Related: 98 'Murder Hornets' Removed From Nest In Washington: Photos

Now that the nest is cleared of hornets, researchers have cut down the tree containing the nest and popped it open for study. Footage released by the WSDA on Twitter Thursday shows researchers combing through the insides, hoping to learn more about the hornets.

Researchers say one critical concern is determining if the hive had produced more queens — which could mean more nests lie undiscovered in the area. During the initial scrubbing of the nest, the WSDA found two Asian giant hornet queens, but are unsure if either was the progenitor queen who supported the nest.

There have been some signs already that this may not be the only nest in Washington.

"There is a very good possibility that there is more than just this nest," Sven Spichiger, WSDA managing entomologist said upon the discovery of the first nest.

In particular, Spichiger says the agriculture department is interested in an area around Birch Bay where several dead hornets turned up in July, and the possibility of a second nest near Blaine; an area several miles away where live hornets have appeared in traps. Researchers will monitor both areas for further developments, and say that they will continue to check traps through November at the very least.

Eradicating any and all nests is a priority for Washington state. The invasive bugs are not native to the continent, and while the so-called 'murder hornets' can kill victims, through stings and spitting venom, they are a much larger threat to the local honeybee population. Researchers say, if the hornets discover a honeybee colony, they will systemically destroy the hive over just a few hours.