I was asked how to avoid coming into contact with the largest hornet in the world, Vespa mandarinia, otherwise known as the Japanese or Asian hornet. These gigantic beauties measure about 2 inches long for their bodies and have a 3 inch wingspan. Their stings can be very painful, sometimes requiring hospitalization! As with most hornets, one should be careful not to approach their nests, which typically would be found high up in trees or sometimes in the eaves of a house. Since these big wasps prey upon other Hymenoptera species, you might want to stay away from beeyards and other places wasps or bees congregate. The Vespa mandarinia are much more interested in their prey than they are in you, so if you do see one (in a garden, for instance), remember to just back slowly away. Screaming, waving one's arms about wildly, or other sudden movements may alarm the wasp and make it think you are threatening it. Even if a wasp lands on you, your best policy is to move slowly, hold still, and wait for it to figure out you are not tasty. Unfortunately, habitat loss is encouraging the wasps to forage in human environments. Since the yellow-jacket type wasps are attracted to human garbage (sweet leftover soda in cans, bits of meat from sandwiches, and the like), more Asian hornets have begun hunting in suburbia. If you wish to avoid contact with them, be sure not to linger near trash cans or leave your picnic goods untended. I hope that was helpful! Let me know if you have any more questions about Vespa mandarinia, and I'll do my best to find the answers.
Oh, and just in case you find these beasties threatening and horrible, realize that some humans do prize them for their performance-enhancing "juice". This is an enzyme produced by the larvae to encourage their parents to feed them! Some folks use it as a sports drink or weight loss aid!
In the meantime, here are the websites I researched for this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_giant_hornet
http://www.vespa-crabro.de/vespa-mandarinia.htm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article582267.ece
http://www.ehow.com/video_4755679_where-do-japanese-hornets-build.html
http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/giant_wasp_enzymes_enhance_endurance
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2 comments:
They are just so large and scary! I wonder if some have come to the west and attacked beehives here. Japanese bees know how to deal with them by surrounding them and making them too hot, but European honey bees have no idea. Would breeding Japanese bees with them teach them or what?
Yes, I feel we must FIND A WAY TO KEEP THESE THINGS OUT.
Mainly for the bees. They are harsh on American/European? bees and can eat them in seconds. 30,000 of them.
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