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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Patrick Barkham

The voracious Asian hornet – the invertebrate symbol of our dark times

Asia Europe
Yellow-legged hornet illustration
The Asian or yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) is rather neat-looking with its yellow stripes and black trim. Composite: Guardian Design/Alamy

We live in dark times. Storm clouds gather over our nations, politics and planet. Let rip the end of days. We’re entering an era of suffering, tyranny and predatory, invasive wasps. So vote baddie. Vote end times. Vote for the Asian or yellow-legged hornet.

Like Trump, Putin, Netanyahu and Lee Anderson, this mortal creature is both terrifying and weird in its implausible lust for power and domination.

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