Entomologists with the Washington State Department of Agriculture examined the Asian giant hornet nest found in an alder tree in Blaine last week and found more dead hornets inside.
It is the public’s first look inside since researchers removed the nest.
On Wednesday, when they first opened the section of the tree where the nest was located, they found queens that were alive.
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“We’ve now demonstrated we can actively track and find a nest and take it out. We can do it efficiently without getting people hurt. That’s what we really need to be able to do to win the war overall,” said Sven Spichiger, with WSDA.
Entomologists had vacuumed 85 hornets out of the dead tree on Saturday morning and caught 13 more hornets the day before.
The nest is thought to be the first found in the U.S.
Officials think there are likely three more nests in Whatcom County.
They are believed to be in Blaine, Birch Bay, and Custer.
Traps are expected to remain in place through November.