This Is What The Sting From Those Killer Giant Hornets In China Looks Like

Forty-one people have died and more than 1,600 have been injured by a series of hornet attacks in China.

[WARNING: The images below are graphic]

The insect responsible for the deaths is the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia), which has a 6 millimeter stinger that injects its victim with venom containing a neurotoxin that is "powerful enough to dissolve human tissue," according to The Australian.

The hornet season typically lasts from May to November, but warmer weather that has led to more successful breeding could be to blame for an unexpected number of attacks this year, according to LiveScience.

Local mayors have dispatched firefighters to systematically destroy the hornet nests.

These images from a local news report posted to LiveLeak show how the sting appears to make a hole in the human flesh.

via LiveLeak

Those who are stung are advised to seek immediate medical treatment.

via LiveLeak

Watch the full news report below: