NATIONWIDE – For the first time, large insects known as “murder hornets” have arrived in the United States, according to researchers.

• Asian giant hornets, known as "murder hornets," spotted in U.S.
• Researchers say they pose threat to country's bee population
• The large hornets destroy hives and have painful sting

The hornets, which are native to Asia, were first spotted in Washington State back in December. As the largest species of hornet in the world, the “murder hornets” can grow to be between 1.5 to 2 inches long, according to researchers at Washington State University. And their stings, which are described as extremely painful, are packed with neurotoxins. Researchers say their stings can also be deadly to humans if stung multiple times.

What’s troubling to researchers about the hornets is their potential impact on the U.S.’s already declining honeybee population. The hornets attack bee hives by decapitating the adults and eating the larvae, researchers say. It only takes a few hornets to destroy an entire hive in a number of hours.

Officials fear the hornets could not only devastate the bee population, but also threaten crops that rely on bees for pollination.

Now Washington State officials are tracking the hornets and setting up traps to help eradicate the insects.

The large hornets are most active between late summer and fall.