Huge Asian hornet. The Asian hornet is one of the largest and most dangerous insects

Entomologists agree that giant hornets can rightfully be called the most dangerous insects in the world. The toxin of this insect, injected into the blood, is so strong that a person’s death can occur from one bite. In addition, the Asian and Japanese hornets cause enormous damage to beekeeping farms, destroying entire bee families in just a few hours.

Appearance

In appearance, the hornet resembles a huge wasp. Its length can reach 5 cm, and its wingspan can be up to 7.5 cm. The body is yellow in color with black transverse stripes characteristic of all wasps. The base of the abdomen is brown, the cephalothorax is black, and the head is colored yellow.

Most big hornet in the world to which the Asian subspecies belongs, it has on its head, in addition to the main two eyes, three additional ones, located in the lower part of the forehead in the form of an inverted triangle.

Weapon of attack

The predator infects its prey with poison, injected with a sting that can be used repeatedly. The composition of this complex substance includes:

Mandorotoxin, a neurotoxin that can block nervous system humans and animals.
Histamine, which causes severe swelling and allergies, often leading to death.
Toxic substances that melt tissue, causing unbearable pain to the victim.
Acetylcholine - serves to attract other hornets. Therefore, the bitten victim becomes a bait for other individuals of this dangerous insect.

Immediately after a bite, a person develops inflammation, covering a large area around the affected area, hyperemia, swelling and hardening of tissues. Soon rises general temperature body, the lymph nodes become enlarged, the pain continues to constantly increase, shortness of breath appears, headache, heart rate increases.

In people prone to allergic reactions, asphyxia may develop within a few minutes after the bite, leading to fatal outcome. In this case, only very quick hospitalization can save you.

Development cycle

Most hornets live in forests near open water bodies. Waking up from hibernation in May, the queen begins to gnaw the bark of trees, which, after chewing, turns into a mass resembling parchment paper. From it, the insect builds a hive, which can hang freely on a tree in the form of a giant pear-shaped fruit or be hidden in caves, hollows or the ground.

After construction is completed, the female lays eggs in honeycombs, the number of which can reach 500 pieces, and seals them tightly. Larvae develop from eggs in 5 to 8 days, held in the cell by a sticky secretion. Then they begin to scratch the walls, signaling hunger. Adults feed them with killed insects, having previously digested them in their mouths.

Thanks to metamorphosis, within 2 weeks the larvae develop into full-fledged working females and drones, which continue to complete the nest while the queen lays eggs.

By the beginning of the first cold weather, the queen, working hornets and drones die. Only fertilized females remain and hibernate, only to give birth to thousands of new individuals in the spring.

Features of hunting

At first glance, it may seem that the Asian hornet and representatives of its subspecies are insatiable, cold-blooded killers. But, in fairness, it is worth clarifying that they obtain the bulk of food for their offspring. And since there are thousands of larvae in the hive, a lot of food is needed.

Throughout the day, scout hornets search for a source of food. Having found a nest of bees, they mark it with a special substance containing pheromones, to which other hornets flock. These aggressive insects are capable of destroying a bee colony of 30,000 individuals at a time. As trophies, the killers take honey, the corpses of bees, their larvae and pupae.

Bees cannot resist a group of giant hornets, but they sometimes succeed in destroying a scout giving a signal. By this they can save themselves and their offspring from attack.

Noticing the approach of the enemy, war bees transmit information about the danger to the others. Several kamikaze individuals sacrifice themselves, luring the hornet into the hive. There, other bees surround him in a tight ring and begin to quickly vibrate their bellies, thereby increasing the air temperature to 50°C, which is destructive for the hornets. This happens for twenty minutes, during which some defenders die, but others immediately take their place in order to prevent the still living predator from breaking through the defense.

For individual insects, things are more tragic. The predator attacks with lightning speed and injects poison, after which it chews the body of its prey with a pair of powerful jaws. For example, Asian huge hornet can decapitate a praying mantis with just one bite.

Rules of conduct near nests

The Asian giant hornet is not a solitary predator, but lives in colonies. Sensing a threat, it begins to secrete a hormone that notifies other individuals of the danger and gives a signal to attack.

Therefore, while near the hive, you cannot:

make sudden movements,
knock on trees
disturb the nest itself,
panic and try to escape.

It is very dangerous to kill a hornet near its home, since during the death the insect manages to transmit an alarm signal, which provokes members of its family to aggression. All this can provoke an attack by hornets and lead to quite sad consequences.

A respectful attitude towards other inhabitants of our planet will help maintain balance in nature and prevent an attack by a dangerous predator.

Up to 20 species of hornets live on Earth. Some of them are large and dangerous to humans. The most big hornet is asian giant hornet. Its body measures up to 5 cm in length, its wingspan is up to 7.5 cm, and its weight is up to 200 g.

This insect is so large that when flying it can be mistaken for a bird, which is why it is called the sparrow bee. Giant hornet stings are poisonous, so people should stay away from these creatures' nests.

Four types of hornets are considered the most common and largest. Their rating is topped by the Asian killer hornet.

1. Asian giant hornet, Vespa Mandarinia

This hornet looks like a huge wasp. Its length reaches 5 cm with a body weight of up to 200 g. These insects have large wings with a span of up to 7.5 cm. If you place it on the palm, it will completely occupy it. This huge wasp has a yellow body with wide black stripes and a yellow head. Two huge eyes on the sides of the head and three small ones in the middle attract attention. These insects live in South-East Asia and in Russian Pomerania.

The bite of such a hornet is very poisonous, its poison is the most toxic among insects. If a person is attacked by a whole swarm, this can even lead to death. In Japan, up to 40 people die every year from Asian hornet bites. But it should be noted that hornets attack only if their nests are destroyed. It is mainly beekeepers who destroy nests, because giant wasps kill bees.

Asian hornets feed on a wide variety of insects. Adults sometimes feast on meat, fish, fruits and berries. Hornets never use poison for hunting. They crush the chitin of their victims with their large jaws. Their prey includes bees, wasps and other forest insects, including pests of forests and fields. That's why hornets are called forest nurses.

These insects live in nests that the queen builds from recycled wood. Hornets' nests look like paper ones. After building the nest, the queen lays eggs. She takes care of the offspring until the workers are born. Then they take food upon themselves.

Males and females that appear later can continue the hornet genus. The males soon die. Working hornets also do not live long; they often die while hunting and defending the nest. Tourists should remember that giant hornets are poisonous, but they will not attack humans without reason.

2. Common or European hornet

Insect large sizes. The body length of the female is 3.8 - 3.5 cm, the male - 2.5 cm. These hornets have a brown color on the head, chest and back of the head. The abdomen is brown, striped below. These hornets are common in Eurasia and North America.

Common hornets often settle in summer cottages, in barns; they can be seen in the hollow of an old tree. They live in nests that the queen builds. The family consists of a queen, females, males, workers and nest protectors. Only females survive the winter, which then form new families. Moreover, hornets never settle in an old nest. They can be distinguished from wasps by their large size and head shape.

These hornets feed on insects, but can feast on leftovers raw meat, fruits, berries, like wasps. European hornet stings are poisonous, but not as poisonous as Asian hornet stings. The bitten area swells, headache, and fever. If a person is very sensitive to insect venom, a state of shock may even occur. Cases of death from European hornet bites are very rare. It is better for a person not to meddle in the nest of these insects, then they will not touch him.

This insect has a body length from 3.5 cm to 2.5 cm. It is similar in size to the European hornet, but its appearance is original: its abdomen is black, its wings are brown, and it has no stripes. Only in this species the queen does not build nests on her own.

A large insect, queens are up to 3 cm long, working hornets are up to 2 cm. The difference between this species is a wide yellow stripe that runs along the abdomen and a yellow spot on the head. Like all hornets, this species has two large and three small eyes and powerful jaws.

These large wasps live in North Africa, Madagascar and southern Russia. They are found in steppe and desert areas, so nests are built underground. These hornets are predators and feed on insects. Their bites are toxic; they attack people when their offspring are at risk.

Big hornets - most interesting insects of our planet. These are highly organized creatures. In each nest, the main one is the queen, who gives birth to offspring. Females and males continue the race. Workers and guards hunt and protect the nest. There are even individuals responsible for cleaning the nest.
Only female hornets have a sting, although it is difficult to distinguish them externally, so you need to be wary of everyone. Hornets can sting repeatedly, which is why they are more dangerous than wasps.

These insects do not attack unless their nests are disturbed. Even if you see their nest in your attic, do not disturb it until the fall. When the queen leaves the nest, it needs to be removed and the cracks caulked.
Hornets eat a wide variety of insects, so they serve as orderlies and are useful. But at the same time, hornets harm beekeeping.

In Germany and Austria, a fine of 50,000 euros is imposed for destroying a hornet nest. They were taken under protection because the number of these insects had dropped sharply.
The largest hornet in the world is the Asian giant hornet. This insect is 5 - 6 cm long and weighs up to 200 g. Its bites are very poisonous, but this hornet attacks humans only when its nests are destroyed. It's dangerous, but beautiful creature- one of the wonders of our nature.

Among all Asian insects, the Vespa Mandarinia hornet is one of the most famous. This is not surprising, if only because huge size make it extremely noticeable: a huge wasp with a body length of 5 cm and a wingspan of up to 6 cm somehow naturally attracts the attention of a tourist or traveler. No wonder in Asian countries This insect is also called the sparrow bee due to its impressive size.

However, the Asian hornet has another popular name - it is called the tiger bee for its extremely painful stings. U local residents, in contrast to the enthusiastic reviews of tourists, the Vespa Mandarinia hornet has rather gained notoriety: its bite is deadly, especially for a person with hypersensitivity to insect poisons. If several giants attack at the same time, they can easily bite or cripple almost any person to death.

Among other things, the Asian bee is the threat of all honey bees, so beekeepers in Thailand, India and Japan regularly suffer serious losses from invasions of these predators.

This is interesting

The Vespa Mandarin hornet is one of 23 species of the hornet genus, which also includes common European relatives. The size of this insect is just a simple anatomical adaptation to a hot climate (large-sized animals tolerate high temperatures more easily because they have a larger surface area for heat transfer to environment). In addition, thanks to its size, this giant can count on a large number of potential victims even comparable in size to him. Otherwise, the huge Asian hornet is very similar to its other relatives.

As for Russians, we are mainly interested in the Vespa Mandarinia hornet as one of the dangers that can lie in wait when traveling through the exotic Asian region. Therefore, information about what the giant Asian hornet looks like, as well as how to avoid its bites, will never be superfluous.

Distinctive features of the tiger wasp

Asian murder hornets are generally similar in body shape and general color tones to ordinary hornets: they are also yellow with black stripes. However, individual color details still distinguish them from each other.

So, if the Vespa Crabro hornet, better known as the common European hornet, has fairly thin black bands on its yellow body and a dark red head, then the Vespa Mandarinia hornet is characterized by much thicker and more expressive black stripes on its body, as well as a yellow head.

Visually, it is the light-colored head with two big eyes attracts attention the most.

The video shows Asian hornets caught in a sticky trap:

Giant Asian hornets caught in a sticky trap

Interestingly, the giant Vespa Mandarinia has three small accessory ocelli between the two main large eyes. These additional organs of vision help the hornet distinguish dark from light and navigate in space.

The photo shows an Asian hornet from the front. His extra eyes are clearly visible:

And yet, the main distinguishing feature of the giant hornet, which makes it possible to distinguish this insect from other relatives, is, of course, its size. With its spread wings it almost overlaps a person’s palm, so at the first meeting it seems not quite real, but as if made deliberately unnaturally large. Such sizes help the hornet primarily to obtain food that is inaccessible to smaller relatives.

Lifestyle and nutrition of the Asian giant hornet

The Asian giant hornet leads the same lifestyle as all other members of the Vespa genus.

Hornets live in paper nests made from chewed pieces of young tree bark, held together by sticky salivary secretions. Generates new family the founder female, who at the beginning of the warm season simply lays several eggs in the place where the nest will later grow.

At first, the female herself obtains food for the larvae, takes care of them and looks after them. However, already a month after laying the eggs, young hornets hatch from them, which, in turn, take on all the worries of feeding new larvae and protecting the family. The uterus greatly limits its role - it continues only to lay eggs until the end of its life.

The Vespa Mandarinia hornet is not picky in its diet: the basis of its diet is a variety of insects. The huge Asian hornet will also not mind eating meat or fish washed ashore, fruits and berries. Unlike adult individuals, the larvae are fed exclusively on animal food, however, this feature is also characteristic of all other hornets of the Vespa genus.

This is interesting

Hornets almost never use their poisonous sting to get food. They kill other insects with powerful jaws, which literally crush the chitinous coverings of their victims.

The largest hornet in the world is distributed quite widely: it is found throughout Southeast Asia and reaches Russian Primorye, where it is quite common and numerous.

It is worth noting that the species Vespa Mandarinia in different points its range is divided into several subspecies. So, in Japan, for example, there is a subspecies that is endemic only to island territories.

In general, hornets of this species are common in different biotopes, but most of all they prefer forests and various light groves. Thus, it will not be possible to meet the Asian hornet in high mountains, steppe and desert areas.

Venom of Vespa Mandarinia and its effect on humans

The Asian giant hornet is very poisonous: its poison is considered one of the most toxic among all insects in general. However, due to the fact that this huge predator does not inject the entire supply of poison into the wound when biting, in general, the bite of the Asian hornet is, although extremely painful, but for healthy person with a normally functioning immune system mortal danger has no idea.

On a note

Every year in Japan, about 40 people die from giant hornet bites. Thus, the hornets here set a kind of anti-record - no other wild animal can “boast” of such indicators.

Photo of an Asian hornet sting:

Due to the presence of several protein toxins in the hornet's venom, its entry into soft tissues immediately activates cell lysis, which is accompanied by instant swelling and inflammation. The presence of histamine and acetylcholine in the poison - substances that ensure the occurrence of an immediate immune response and the transmission of neuromuscular reactions - causes a sharp pain effect, sometimes accompanied by a state of shock in the victim.

“After the hornet bite, I spent three weeks in the hospital. I had huge swelling all over my side and I couldn’t move my arm. The bite itself is simply monstrous - as if a drill is being drilled into the body with an ordinary drill. When the insect bit me, I barely managed to get home and lost consciousness. My wife already called the doctors. And one of my friends died a year ago from a hornet attack.”

Tai Won Xing, Girin

A quite typical response of the body to a hornet sting is considered to be extensive tissue swelling, which was already mentioned above, increased heart rate, headaches and fever.

However, in people sensitive to insect toxins, even one giant hornet sting can cause anaphylactic shock and death. If there were numerous bites, then in this case, even for a healthy person, the attack is fraught with tissue necrosis, extensive hemorrhages and damage internal organs.

Reproduction of giant hornets

Now let's look at how procreation occurs in the Vespa Mandarinia hornet. There are several key points to highlight here.

The giant hornet family exists for no more than one year.
When the housing of these huge wasps grows to a decent size, and there are quite a lot of working individuals themselves, the queen begins to lay eggs, from which males and females capable of reproduction hatch.
At a certain point, these mature individuals swarm and mate, after which the young males die, and the females look for secluded shelters and remain in them until spring.
For the rainy season (and in the Primorye region for winter) old family completely dies out because the queen stops laying new eggs.

It is worth noting that sometimes all Vespa hornets do not survive to the time of natural death, since they die from ticks or infections.

A disaster for humans or an adornment of nature?

In a global sense, giant Asian hornets are, of course, dangerous to people, but this danger is not critical, since it is entirely provoked by man himself. These insects are not very aggressive by nature; they will only attack in self-defense or protecting a nest.

Hornets cause much more damage to apiaries, especially those where less aggressive European honey bees are bred. Sometimes hornets manage to destroy an entire bee family in a few hours, and therefore local beekeepers wage an ongoing systematic fight against them.

In general, the mortality rate from giant hornet bites is quite high: in some regions, up to 100 people die per year. But in fairness it should be said that most of the dead were the same beekeepers who, without special means defenses actively destroy hornet nests and, as a result, fall under their massive attacks.

A simple tourist who accidentally finds himself in the forest next to the Vespa Mandarinia hornet should not be afraid of this insect - it will not attack without a reason.

On a note

In the West, many dietary supplements add synthetic substances similar to the secretion contained in developing hornet larvae. These components are believed to increase human endurance. However, there is no experimental evidence for these claims.

In conclusion, it should be noted that for wildlife, giant hornets are one of the most active natural orderlies. They successfully destroy many forest and agricultural pests, therefore, in most biocenoses - including agricultural lands - they are useful and deserve protection.

Several dozen hornets completely destroyed a bee hive

Centipede vs Asian giant hornet: who wins?

Asian giant hornet – largest representative among brothers. The insect is difficult to miss due to its bright color and significant wingspan. Official name– vespa mandarinia. The pest is not found in Europe. The territory where it lives is limited to Asia: Far East, Japan, China, Korea, as well as India, etc.

Vespa mandarinia represents 1 of 23 species of insects in the hornet genus. These are predators that are capable of causing significant harm to humans, however, their task is different. Hornets prey on some small insects, which on the one hand is good, since most often these are pests that destroy useful crops.

On the other hand, vespa mandarinia kills bees, which is detrimental to beekeeping. Thanks to its large size, it is able to hunt effectively, and in addition, the structure of the insect’s body is determined by the need for increased endurance in areas with a hot climate.

How to distinguish the Asian hornet from other species?

The pest is several times longer than a regular wasp. Thus, the body size of a giant insect reaches 5 cm. The wingspan is also significant - up to 7.5 cm. In some ways, the large Asian hornet resembles a wasp. However, there is more similarity with the common hornet, which is found in Europe.

Features of appearance: a huge wasp with a body length of 5 cm and a wingspan of up to 6 cm

The body color of vespa mandarinia is yellow-black. The head is bright (yellow), the chest is dark (black). The underparts are striped, but are characterized by wider stripes. There are long mustaches on the head.

Difference in size: Left - wasp, Right - giant hornet

One of the differences between the pest is its 5 eyes, two of which are large and three are small, located in the center. Additional organs of vision contribute to improved orientation in the area, in addition, the central eyes help the pest distinguish between light and dark colors.

In addition to the two main eyes, there are three eyes in the middle of the head. Which provides the ideal viewing angle

All these characteristics together make Vespa mandarinia a more noticeable insect. In the extended position, the wings overlap the human palm. This makes the pest noticeable, however, it will not protect against attack, since the insect develops a significant flight speed. You can only prevent contact with the pest by noticing the shelter or the pest itself in advance.

Lifestyle and eating habits

The Asian giant hornet does not differ in behavior from its counterparts of other species. The female begins to build a nest in early spring. However, its dimensions are significantly smaller than the final version. The main task for at this stage- lay the beginning of a colony, for which the female lays the first eggs. Then larvae emerge from them. They are formed into adults, which take on the responsibility of providing the queen and the “young animals” with food, and also perform the function of protecting the nest.

Asian hornets leave their shelter when necessary. However, the queen always remains in place, since after feeding the first generation of insects, its main function becomes a further increase in the number of the hornet colony. The feeding habits of insects are varied. They usually eat insects different types: flies, caterpillars, bees, spiders, etc. However, pests can feast on meat and fish. Their diet includes fruits and berries.

They almost never use their sting to extract food. Kills other insects with powerful jaws

The food for the larvae is not so varied. For them, their adult counterparts hunt for insects. Adults hunt using only their own rather powerful mouthparts.

Reproduction process

Most pests die by the beginning of the rainy season in Asian territory. In Primorye (Russia), adult individuals die closer to winter. This means that insects live less than a year.

They live in paper nests made from chewed pieces of tree bark, sealed with salivary secretions.

Most of the colony are workers. When the number of pests has increased significantly, the queen lays eggs, from which females and males capable of reproduction emerge.

Then the mating period of insects begins, at the end of which the males die. Females remain alive to procreate. Their further task is to find a suitable shelter for wintering. In the spring they emerge to begin the establishment of a colony. Many adults die much earlier than expected. This is facilitated by various kinds of infections, mites or other insects that attack en masse, for example, bees in Asia.

How does poison affect humans?

The Asian giant hornet is known for its painful stings and the extremely poisonous substance it injects under the skin of its prey. Due to the fact that these pests do not have a jagged sting, like bees, they attack many times without the slightest harm to their body.

Its poison is considered one of the most toxic among all insects in general.

The venom of the giant hornet is considered the most dangerous. However, upon contact with an insect, a person often survives, since the pest injects only part of its supply of the toxic substance.

After a single bite, a physically healthy person will survive. However, with multiple contacts, the likelihood of death increases. This is possible if several adult hornets attack.

Most cases of contact with pests are united by a common reaction: severe allergic manifestations due to the presence of histamines in the toxic substance; swelling, beginning inflammatory process as a result of the presence of protein toxins; severe pain.

When a huge Asian hornet bites you, the symptoms can vary. It all depends on how the body reacts to third-party substances. In addition to the main manifestations (swelling, redness), other symptoms may occur: fever, headache, tachycardia.

The body's first response to a sting is soft tissue swelling

The body of some patients is extremely sensitive, so even a single bite leads to death, which precedes anaphylactic shock. Typically, with multiple attacks on a physically healthy and less sensitive organism, tissue necrosis and hemorrhage are observed as a result of damage to internal organs.

Harm and benefits of insects

Significant harm and serious consequences as a result of contact with a giant hornet occur only if a person provoked the insect with his actions (usually sudden movements and an attempt to approach). This type of pest is not characterized by unlimited aggression. However, he is able to actively defend himself and his nest if he feels threatened. However, 40-100 people die from the poison of these insects every year.

The giant Asian bumblebee (as the hornet is called) causes the main damage to apiaries. It destroys a beekeeper's property in a matter of hours. Of course, this will require a group of insects. One hornet cannot cope with many bees. European bees are destroyed the fastest, as they are harmless.

Asian honey insects are capable of attacking a giant pest in a large group. At the same time, the bees begin to actively flap their wings, clinging to the hornet. It dies from a sharp increase in temperature within the radius of a living ball of honey insects.

They cause greater harm to apiaries, especially where less aggressive European bees are bred.

By and large, Asian hornets are more beneficial. They feed on insects that destroy cultivated plants agricultural land, as well as forest pests. For this reason, it is not recommended to destroy hornets en masse. It's better to take precautions.

Interesting video: Lifestyle and habits of the giant hornet

How to protect yourself from insect bites?

IN natural environment pests attack if they sense danger. More often this happens when a person gets too close to the nest.

To minimize Negative consequences to avoid encountering a hornet, it is recommended to adhere to a number of rules:

You need to carefully look around the forest area.
Having discovered a nest, you must not approach it, much less try to touch or destroy it.
If you see a giant hornet, you don't need to catch it.
Pests perceive sudden movements of their hands as a threat.
Once near the nest, there is no need to try to protect yourself by killing the insect. There are often other refuge defenders nearby who will quickly respond to such actions.
Considering that the hornet feeds on berries and fruits, it is recommended to be careful when collecting fruits.
The aroma of apple and banana provokes pests, so it is not recommended to use products with such fragrances when going to forest areas.

The Asian hornet is one of the largest insects that can cause real panic in humans. Indeed, due to its size, it is always noticeable and at the same time in flight it more closely resembles a small bird, which is why in some countries it is called the sparrow bee. In addition, this creature is also very harmful - a flock of such hornets can cause serious damage to a beekeeping farm, and their bites are very dangerous for humans.

It is not for nothing that the Asian hornet is called a giant hornet - among adult individuals there are quite large specimens with body sizes of more than 5 cm

Description

In Latin, the name of this hornet sounds like vespa mandarinia. These insects are noticeably larger than other hornets and the body length of representatives of most subspecies is 5 cm. Moreover, the wingspan of such individuals sometimes reaches 7.5 cm.

On a note! The length of the body of an adult hornet from the head to the extreme point of the abdomen is commensurate with the little finger of an adult, and if it spreads its wings, they will probably block most palms!

The Asian giant hornet belongs to the family True wasps and has a characteristic characteristic of its representatives. appearance: the body is yellow, with several transverse black stripes running along it, the base of the abdomen is brown, the head is yellow, the cephalothorax is almost black. There are three pairs of legs.

As you can see in the photo, the largest hornet in the world has five eyes: one pair is the main one (these eyes are the largest) and three more eyes are located between them.

Upon closer inspection, the appearance of the Asian hornet seems even more unusual - it looks more like an alien creature than an insect

There are several subspecies of the Asian hornet in the world, each of which has its own habitat: Korea, Middle and East Asia, India, Nepal, Russia (Primorsky Krai). And among others, the most famous in scientific circles is the inhabitant Japanese Islands– Vespa mandarinia japonica. The Japanese hornet has an appearance similar to its Asian “relatives”: a large body, the length of which is about 4 cm, and an impressive wingspan of 6 cm. The range of this subspecies is limited to the above-mentioned territory, where it is found mainly in forest areas.

Nature gave the Asian hornet such dimensions for a reason. Its ability to normal life activities largely depends on them and, above all, this is due to the distribution area of a given insect. As you know, Asia is very hot, and therefore large creatures it is much easier to survive - with large area bodies they are able to give off a sufficient amount of heat to the environment. Small insects quickly die from overheating.

Biology

Asian giant hornets live in the same way as other “relatives” - in families or colonies. These insects make their nests in forests, often in close proximity to ponds and other sources of water. The construction of such a nest is started by the female - she lays the laid eggs in the first comb and raises the offspring that emerge from them on her own. During this period, she cares for the larvae, protects them and feeds them. After a few weeks, the larvae turn into young hornets, which take over all the responsibilities: they get food, cut up the bodies of caught victims, feed newly hatched larvae and protect the nest from enemies. The next grown hornets are already able to mate and reproduce.

On a note! The number of one colony can reach about 300 individuals, but even after this the female continues to lay eggs - all her responsibilities come down to this process!

Over time, the colony of Asian hornets is replenished with new males and females, and when their numbers become too high, they leave the overcrowded nest and mate outside it. Subsequently, fertilized females look for suitable places to build nests and become the founders of new colonies, and the males die.

The settlement and founding of new families in Asian hornets occurs once a year.

Nest

To build nests, females use chewed pieces of young bark, which they fasten together using salivary secretions. At first, the nest has a very modest size - it is several cells with eggs laid in them. As the family increases in size, the nest also grows, gradually turning into a rather large gray cocoon, the height of which can reach 0.8 m and the width - 0.5 m.

The expansion of the nest and the development of hornets in it occurs throughout the warm season. With the arrival of the rainy season or with the onset of winter, all its inhabitants die, and the female stops laying eggs. Thus, the nest exists for no more than one year.

Hornets can build their nests on open areas, simply hanging the dwelling from the branches of a tree, and in secluded places, for example, in burrows, caves and hollows

Nutrition

The basis of the diet of vespa mandarinia is food of animal origin - various arthropods. Adults, unlike larvae, can also eat berries, fruits and fish carcasses washed ashore.

Japanese giant hornets very often raid the nests of their small “relatives”: more often bees, less often wasps and hornets of other species with more modest body sizes. At the same time, the hunters act with particular cruelty, destroying the entire nest and killing absolutely all its inhabitants. The prey includes bee larvae and pupae, as well as sweet honey. The hornets take all the trophies to their nest, where they later use them for their own food and survival.

On a note! A small flock of Asian hornets (30-40 individuals) is capable of destroying a bee colony of about 20-30 thousand individuals in just a couple of hours!

Beekeeping farms suffer greatly due to such attacks.

It is noteworthy that the huge Asian hornet, having a very poisonous sting, practically does not use it for hunting. It kills prey with the help of powerful jaws located in the front of the head - with them the hornet easily splits the chitinous covers of its victims. Thus, bees, modest in size, turn out to be very easy prey for these giants, and are unable to withstand several hornets.

Apiary owners usually combat these winged pests using radical measures. They find a nest and burn it, drown it, or destroy its inhabitants with insecticides. The main thing in this matter is to be able to get as close to the enemy’s lair as possible and remain unnoticed. But sometimes bees find a way to protect themselves, but they succeed only when only one hornet, the scout, penetrates the hive. The bees surround the stranger and very quickly create a cocoon around him. As a result, the hornet dies from high temperature. If the scout remains unnoticed, then he marks the hive with his secret and after a while arrives with reinforcements.

Danger to humans

Asian hornets are very dangerous. Their main weapon against humans is a long sting, reaching 6 mm in length, with which insects inject nerve poison into the body of the offender.

On a note! The bite of the Asian hornet is very painful, which is why this insect received another nickname - “tiger bee”! Entomologist Masato Ono, who suffered such a bite, described his sensations as follows: “It felt like a hot nail had been pierced into my leg!”

The Asian giant hornet is considered one of the most dangerous insects in the world

The most dangerous venom of the Asian hornet is for people with allergies to insect stings, in particular wasps and bees. In this case, rapid development is possible anaphylactic shock, which will require urgent hospitalization. However, even in the absence of an allergic reaction, such a sting can cause very significant discomfort and provoke a deterioration in well-being. The reason for this is the composition of the poison, which includes mandorotoxin - this is a neurotoxin that is extremely dangerous substance, as well as acetylcholine, which attracts other hornets.

The toxic substances contained in the venom of the Asian hornet act primarily on the nervous system and can contribute to the development of symptoms such as:

intense throbbing pain at the site of the bite;
rapid extensive tissue inflammation;
redness in the affected area;
tissue hardening;
Strong headache;
dizziness;
dyspnea;
cardiopalmus;
swollen lymph nodes;
increase in body temperature.

In case of untimely provision medical care tissue at the site of the bite begins to deteriorate, which, in turn, can cause damage to internal organs located near the affected area, as well as bleeding and hemorrhage.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to comb the stung area or treat it yourself with any alcohol-containing solutions!

However, it is worth noting that the Asian giant hornet never attacks without a reason. He can show aggression towards a person only in the event of a clear threat to him or the nest that he is called upon to protect. In such situations, the insect will definitely attack and may inflict several bites at once.

And since this hornet can use its sting many times, as a result, a person risks receiving a rather impressive portion of highly toxic poison

On a note! According to statistics, about 40 people die every year from Asian hornet bites. Sometimes this happens through negligence, when people step on a nest in the forest, sometimes when beekeepers protect bee hives, when they try to destroy the enemy’s lair without personal protective equipment!

Actions when bitten

The huge and very dangerous Asian hornet can be found both in Russia and abroad - in large quantities it lives in Asian countries. And if such an unpleasant meeting happened, then the main rule is not to make any sudden movements. Try not to wave your arms and leave the habitat of this insect as calmly as possible.

On a note! Remember, the Asian hornet will not attack without a special reason, and usually the person himself is to blame for its aggression: the curious or wants to look amazing insect closer, or tries to photograph its nest hidden in the foliage as clearly as possible, and some even try to pick up the hornet, forgetting that it has a powerful “weapon”!

And if unpleasant contact could not be avoided, and the Asian hornet bit you or the person next to you, then in this case you need to do the following:

immediately apply something very cold to the affected area and hold for several seconds;
then it is advisable to make a compress of wet sugar - thanks to this technique you can slow down the spread of toxins through the tissues;
take an antihistamine, and it is better to give an injection - antihistamines are necessary, especially if you are not sure of the absence of an allergy;
The person should be laid on his back and a pillow or cushion of folded clothing should be placed under his head - the head should be elevated.

If the victim’s health begins to rapidly deteriorate, then it is necessary to immediately seek medical help.

Appearance

The largest hornet in the world, to which the Asian subspecies belongs, has on its head, in addition to the main two eyes, also three additional ones, located in the lower part of the forehead in the form of an inverted triangle.

Weapon of attack

The predator infects its prey with poison, injected with a sting that can be used repeatedly. The composition of this complex substance includes:

Mandorotoxin, a neurotoxin that can block the nervous system of humans and animals.
Histamine, which causes severe swelling and allergies, often leading to death.
Toxic substances that melt tissue, causing unbearable pain to the victim.
Acetylcholine - serves to attract other hornets. Therefore, the bitten victim becomes a bait for other individuals of this dangerous insect.

Immediately after a bite, a person develops inflammation, covering a large area around the affected area, hyperemia, swelling and hardening of tissues. Soon the general body temperature rises, the lymph nodes enlarge, the pain continues to constantly increase, shortness of breath, headache appear, and the heartbeat quickens.

In people prone to allergic reactions, asphyxia may develop within a few minutes after the bite, leading to death. In this case, only very quick hospitalization can save you.

Development cycle

Thanks to metamorphosis, within 2 weeks the larvae develop into full-fledged working females and drones, which continue to complete the nest while the queen lays eggs.

By the beginning of the first cold weather, the queen, working hornets and drones die. Only fertilized females remain and hibernate, only to give birth to thousands of new individuals in the spring.

Features of hunting

Bees cannot resist a group of giant hornets, but they sometimes succeed in destroying a scout giving a signal. By this they can save themselves and their offspring from attack.

For individual insects, things are more tragic. The predator attacks with lightning speed and injects poison, after which it chews the body of its prey with a pair of powerful jaws. For example, the Asian giant hornet can decapitate a praying mantis with just one bite.

Rules of conduct near nests

The Asian giant hornet is not a solitary predator, but lives in colonies. Sensing a threat, it begins to secrete a hormone that notifies other individuals of the danger and gives a signal to attack.

Therefore, while near the hive, you cannot:

make sudden movements,
knock on trees
disturb the nest itself,
panic and try to escape.

A respectful attitude towards other inhabitants of our planet will help maintain balance in nature and prevent an attack by a dangerous predator.

Up to 20 species of hornets live on Earth. Some of them are large and dangerous to humans. The largest hornet is the Asian giant hornet. Its body measures up to 5 cm in length, its wingspan is up to 7.5 cm, and its weight is up to 200 g.

Four types of hornets are considered the most common and largest. Their rating is topped by the Asian killer hornet.

1. Asian giant hornet, Vespa Mandarinia

2. Common or European hornet

Large insect. The body length of the female is 3.8 - 3.5 cm, the male - 2.5 cm. These hornets have a brown color on the head, chest and back of the head. The abdomen is brown, striped below. These hornets are common in Eurasia and North America.

Common hornets often settle on summer cottages, in barns, they can be seen in the hollow of an old tree. They live in nests that the queen builds. The family consists of a queen, females, males, workers and nest protectors. Only females survive the winter, which then form new families. Moreover, hornets never settle in an old nest. They can be distinguished from wasps by their large size and head shape.

These hornets feed on insects, but can feast on the remains of raw meat, fruits, and berries, just like wasps. European hornet stings are poisonous, but not as poisonous as Asian hornet stings. The bitten area swells, headache, and fever. If a person is very sensitive to insect venom, a state of shock may even occur. Cases of death from European hornet bites are very rare. It is better for a person not to meddle in the nest of these insects, then they will not touch him.

Large hornets are the most interesting insects on our planet. These are highly organized creatures. In each nest, the main one is the queen, who gives birth to offspring. Females and males continue the race. Workers and guards hunt and protect the nest. There are even individuals responsible for cleaning the nest.
Only female hornets have a sting, although it is difficult to distinguish them externally, so you need to be wary of everyone. Hornets can sting repeatedly, which is why they are more dangerous than wasps.

These insects do not attack unless their nests are disturbed. Even if you see their nest in your attic, do not disturb it until the fall. When the queen leaves the nest, it needs to be removed and the cracks caulked.
Hornets eat a wide variety of insects, so they serve as orderlies and are useful. But at the same time, hornets harm beekeeping.

In Germany and Austria, a fine of 50,000 euros is imposed for destroying a hornet nest. They were taken under protection because the number of these insects had dropped sharply.
The largest hornet in the world is the Asian giant hornet. This insect is 5 - 6 cm long and weighs up to 200 g. Its bites are very poisonous, but this hornet attacks humans only when its nests are destroyed. This dangerous but beautiful creature is one of the wonders of our nature.

Sometimes in the world of insects and animals there are bizarre or terrible specimens. One of the terrifying insects that instills fear in humans is the Asian giant hornet (lat. Vespa mandarina) - the largest hornet in the world. Asian giant hornet it reaches a length of up to five centimeters, and its wingspan is seven and a half centimeters.

The Asian giant hornet lives in Korea, Nepal, and the mountainous regions of Sri Lanka. Here this huge insect can be found everywhere. In addition, they live in large numbers in the Primorsky Territory of the Russian Federation.

IN different countries Vespa mandarina are called differently. For example, in Taiwan it is called " tiger bee"He actually has brindle coloring- black stripes on the yellow body of the insect. Most likely, such a name does not last role played by the size of the hornet. And in Japan the Asian huge hornet is called " sparrow bee" due to the large span of its wings.

Its sting reaches up to 6 millimeters. The venom produced by the Asian giant hornet is highly toxic. That is why the bite of this hornet is extremely dangerous for humans. In terms of toxicity, the bite of Vespa mandarina is many times more dangerous than the bites of other species of hornets, since the bite releases a large amount of poison. Once a Japanese entomologist, who was bitten by a huge Asian hornet, spoke about his sensations from the bite, comparing them to a hot nail that was driven into his leg. The bite of a giant hornet should be especially feared by those people who are allergic to wasp and bee venom - for them it is deadly. The venom of the Asian giant hornet contains high concentration an incredibly toxic substance - mandorotoxin, a large amount of which can kill a seemingly healthy person who is not allergic to bee venom.

Thus, stings from a large number of Asian giant hornets or multiple stings from one individual can be fatal to a healthy person. In addition to mandorotoxin, the venom of this hornet also contains other toxic substances that have destructive effects on tissue human body, causing severe pain, and worst of all, attracting other hornets. Acetylcholine is responsible for the ability to attract other individuals, 5% of which is contained in the venom of the Asian giant hornet. Like a wasp, the Asian giant hornet can use its sting multiple times. But during hunting, the Asian huge hornet uses its jaws, which are well developed and quite large. Having grabbed prey with its jaws, it crushes its victim with them.

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The fauna is represented by various specimens, sometimes bizarre or terrifying. One of these representatives that can instill fear in a person is the Asian giant hornet Vespa Mandarinia. This is a huge bumblebee, whose body length is 5 cm with a wingspan of up to 7.5 cm. It should be noted that the giant hornet is not found on European territory, but in Asian countries they can cause a person a number of troubles.

The huge size of the Vespa Mandarinia hornet is due to the fact that in hot climates this allows easier to carry high temperature . Thanks to this anatomical feature, its potential victims can be a large number of insects, even with the same dimensions.

Asian hornets are very similar in body shape and color to ordinary ones, but they still differ from each other in individual color details. The head with two large eyes, between which there are three small appendage ocelli, attracts quite a lot of attention. Thanks to this additional organ of vision, the insect distinguishes light from dark and is well oriented in space.

But the main thing distinguishing feature Asian hornet Vespa Mandarinia - this is its size. If he spreads his wings, they will almost block a person's palm. Because of this size, the insect easily obtains food that is inaccessible to smaller individuals.

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