Deadly Japanese hornet. Interesting features of the life of a huge Japanese hornet and the danger of its bites Life of a huge wasp

Among the hornets special place occupied by the world's largest representative of this genus - Vespa Mandarinia, or the Asian giant hornet, a photo of which can be seen this year. As the name suggests, it is very difficult not to notice it, since this insect with a brightly colored body measuring up to 5 cm and an even more impressive wingspan of up to 7 cm cannot fail to attract attention. The Asian hornet is extremely dangerous and poisonous. Being able to distinguish it from its more harmless relatives is especially important for those who like to travel to exotic countries of mysterious and unique Asia.

Interestingly, Vespa mandarin is one of the representatives of 23 species of hornets, which include common relatives living in Europe. The size of an insect is an anatomical adaptation to the climate in which it lives. Larger insects can tolerate high temperatures much easier because they have a larger surface area to transfer heat to. environment.

Moreover, due to the size of this killer, he can easily count on many victims, including those of comparable size to himself. Otherwise, the insect is similar to its other relatives in appearance.

Appearance and structure of Vespa Mandarinia

Generally, appearance and Asian body structure giant hornet-killers are very similar to characteristic features representatives of all 23 species of these insects. They resemble wasps in color, but differ from them in size and lifestyle.

You can distinguish the Asian hornet from all other insects by the following striking features:

Incredible large size, reaching a ratio of body length and wingspan of 5x7 cm. An adult insect with outstretched wings almost completely covers a woman’s palm and at first glance seems like a plastic toy.
The abdomen (back part of the body), painted in alternating black and yellow stripes, appears black from a distance because the dark stripes are wider than the light ones.
The chest (middle part of the body) is very dark, with a characteristic black pattern.
The head (front part of the body) is most often a rich yellow or orange color, which allows you to notice the insect from afar.
The paired lateral eyes are very large, deep dark in color, almost black.

In addition to the large lateral eyes, in the center of the front part of the hornet’s head there are three additional ones, thanks to which the insect distinguishes the degree of illumination and is perfectly oriented in space. The Asian hornet sees well even in the dark.

The appearance of the giant insect is very remarkable; the hornet is difficult to confuse with other species or not to notice. But, given the high speed that it can develop when flying, bright identifying signs are not always enough to avoid an unpleasant meeting with the killer, as this eastern giant is also called.

Varieties of the Asian giant hornet

The terrifying appearance and impressive size are only an adaptive mechanism to environmental conditions and feeding behavior. In the process of evolutionary development, representatives of this species further adapted to natural conditions, which led to the emergence of several subspecies of Vespa Mandarinia.

The most famous endemic is the Japanese giant hornet. This unique insect can only be found on the Japanese islands and nowhere else in the world. The hornet is slightly more modest in size than the ordinary Asian giant representative of this species. It also differs from its fellows in color - its abdomen has orange rather than yellow stripes.

Some subspecies of giant hornets are distinguished not by striped, but by marbled coloration of the abdomen. Absolutely all representatives of Vespa Mandarinia are poisonous and dangerous to humans, which travelers to Asian countries should take into account.

Habitats of the giant hornet

Representatives of Vespa Mandarinia are not found in Europe. Their natural habitat is Asian countries:

Japan.
Korea.
China.
India.
Thailand.

There they feel very comfortable in the hot and humid environment of the tropics and subtropics. It is curious that in Russian Federation this insect is found in the Primorsky Territory, where the conditions of the monsoon Far Eastern climate are also suitable for it comfortable stay and reproduction.

Life cycle of the Asian giant hornet

Like other representatives of this group of insects, Vespa Mandarinia live in large colonies in nests. The female begins to arrange the “house”. At the beginning of spring, she builds a modest-sized nest, which will subsequently increase many times in volume and area. At this stage, the female’s task is to lay the foundation of a future colony by laying several larvae. The future queen feeds and protects her firstborns on her own.

After about a month, the first hornets appear and are ready to take care of the next generations of larvae, completing the nest, protecting it and developing the colony.

The queen (queen) remains in the nest forever and spends her entire life laying larvae. All other worries are taken over by the hornets that appear in the nest, which leave it for hunting and other needs.

The colony is growing rapidly. If about a month passes from the first clutch to the appearance of the hornets, then in the next 4-6 weeks the number of insects in the colony can increase to several thousand.

Throughout the entire existence of the colony, all insects, except the queen, have three main concerns: obtaining food for themselves and the voracious larvae, completing the hive to the required size, taking into account the constant replenishment of the family, and protecting the “house” from ruin.

By the first frost, the colony completely dies out. At the end of August - beginning of September, males fertilize females, but the latter no longer lay larvae. First, the number of the colony stops growing, and then begins to decline rapidly. All males gradually die out, and fertilized females find a safe wintering place for themselves. The family never returns to the old nest. In the spring, after waking up, each female will begin to create her own colony in a new place suitable for this purpose.

What does a giant hornet's nest look like?

The Asian murder hornet's nest is made of a paper-like material. Insects chew tree bark, soaking it in a special secretion of saliva. They build their “house” from the resulting sticky mass. After drying construction material takes on the desired appearance and texture, reminiscent of gray kraft paper.

What does the murder hornet eat?

The larvae of this insect are voracious insect predators. In order to feed them, adults constantly hunt. Hornets prepare a protein pulp from killed insects, which they feed to the larvae.

Adults are also predators, the basis of their diet being any other insects. But they are not averse to eating sweet fruits and berries, and they happily eat fish washed up on the shore. Hornets do not use their poison when hunting; their powerful jaws are enough for them. In search of prey, a group of hornets may raid a beehive or apiary. This is a real disaster for bees because one killer can kill up to 300 bees in a short period of time.

Is there any benefit from Vespa Mandarinia?

In a natural environment predatory hornets are a natural regulator of the number of other insects. Thanks to this, the ecological balance is maintained. By eating small insects, giant hornets free the forest from pests, which, if uncontrolled, can destroy even large green areas.

The damage caused by giant hornets

The main harm caused by a colony of giant hornets is the destruction of apiaries and the killing of bees. This is truly a natural disaster for Asian beekeepers. Therefore, an irreconcilable struggle is being waged against dangerous insects in places and habitats found close to agricultural land and human habitation. You always need to be careful, because an encounter with a giant hornet can result in an insect attack for a person, the bite of which can sometimes be fatal.

What does a giant hornet's sting look like?

In a calm state, the insect does not show its sting, and this deadly weapon cannot be seen. It is located inside the back part of the body - the striped abdomen.

An insect can attack only in one case - defending the nest or its own life. Hornets do not use their stings for hunting. Unlike bee, it is smooth, so after contact with the skin, it does not remain in the tissues of the victim. The sting of the Asian hornet reaches 5 mm in length. Each individual can strike several times until the toxin runs out.

Why is a murder hornet sting dangerous?

The venom of the Asian giant hornet, a photo of which can be seen in this article, is one of the most toxic substances to humans. That is why the insect received a terrifying nickname - the murder hornet. Every year, in the countries where they live, their victims who do not survive their bites number in the dozens.

If a person is absolutely healthy and has no problems with the cardiovascular, respiratory or central nervous systems, he will not die after a single hornet bite. The bite site quickly swells and becomes very painful. But, since there is no poisonous sting left in it, getting rid of unpleasant consequences is quite possible.

How is the Asian giant hornet dangerous for humans? By piercing the skin of the victim with its sting, the hornet injects only a small volume of poison (about 2 mg), which increases the chances of a successful outcome for the bitten person. However, since the hornet can sting multiple times, the situation becomes more severe with each subsequent sting.

The venom of this insect belongs to the group of neurotoxins that negatively affect the activity of the human central nervous system, depressing breathing and cardiac activity. In addition, the poison contains substances that can cause dangerous tissue damage, including necrosis.

For people prone to allergic attacks, with chronic diseases, as well as for children, even a single bite from such an insect can be deadly.

Help for an Asian Killer Bite

The human body’s reaction to the venom of the Asian hornet, a photo and description of which is in this article, can be very different, depending on age, health status, and the number of bites. Therefore, if you are bitten by an insect, you must not waste time and immediately consult a doctor.

Almost always, severe swelling occurs at the site of the bite, so the doctor usually prescribes antihistamines. Depending on the severity of intoxication and the symptoms that appear, adequate therapy is prescribed using medicines, neutralizing the toxin and eliminating the consequences of its action.

In most cases, hospitalization and round-the-clock medical monitoring of the victim’s condition are required.

How to Avoid a Giant Hornet Sting

Since insects do not attack in a calm state, it is easy to avoid a bite:

do not touch or destroy the hornets' nest;
when meeting an insect, do not wave your arms or objects, so as not to provoke it to attack;
do not eat sweet, juicy foods (for example, fruits) and meat near the colony, so as not to attract insects by smell.

These simple measures are enough to reduce the risk of encountering a murder hornet to a minimum.

Interesting facts about the giant insect

The body weight of the Asian huge hornet can reach 200 grams, and when flying from afar it is often mistaken for a small bird. Therefore, the local population often calls the insect “sparrow bee.”

A colony of giant hornets is a society with a complex social organization, resembling an anthill. Each adult has its own function and working “profession”. In addition to hunters and soldiers, Asian hornets, photos of which are in this article, have nannies, doctors and even room cleaners.

Only females have a sting. But since outwardly they can hardly be distinguished from relatively harmless males, one should be wary of all representatives of this species of insects dangerous to humans.

Note that for nature, these hornets are natural orderlies. They kill a large number of pests of both forests and Agriculture. Therefore, insects are useful and need protection.

The Asian hornet is one of the largest insects, which can cause real panic in a person. Indeed, due to its size, it is always noticeable and at the same time in flight it looks more like 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.

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 cover most of the palm!

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

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.

There are several subspecies of the Asian hornet in the world, each of which has its own habitat: Korea, Central and East Asia, India, Nepal, Russia (Primorsky Territory). And among others, the most famous in scientific circles is the inhabitant of the 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 function normally depends largely on them, and this is primarily due to the distribution area of the insect. As you know, it is very hot in Asia, and therefore it is much easier for large creatures to survive - when 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.

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.

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!

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 of anaphylactic shock is possible, 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, a neurotoxin that is an 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 nervous system and may 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.

If medical care is not provided in a timely manner, the tissues at the site of the bite begin 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.

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 - it lives in large quantities 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 either wants to take a closer look at the amazing insect, or tries to photograph its nest hidden in the foliage as clearly as possible, and some even try to take the hornet into hands, forgetting that he 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.

One of the most major representatives The hymenoptera is the Asian hornet. The dimensions reach 5 cm in length, and the wingspan fits in the palm of an adult. human health, even death. Habitat area limited by territory Far East. It attacks mainly bees, destroying them. Therefore, a person, protecting his apiary plantations from a pest, becomes a target for a giant pest.

Its enormous size allows the giant hornet to adapt to the hot temperatures of the Asian climate.

The classification is varied:

Being gigantic, vespa mandarinia is considered the most dangerous among all representatives of the genus. A large amount of toxins in the poison causes immediate reactions in the body.

Bite symptoms

The Asian hornet will sting a person in cases where he is in danger. While staunchly defending a home or when found in an apiary while killing bees as food, the insect will defend itself with a sting that it will pierce into the skin of a person. There will be several such attacks. The sting is of impressive size - up to 6 mm. And near the end of the body there is a sac with poison. During one moment of insertion of the sting, a large amount of toxins are injected under the skin, which have a nerve-paralytic effect.

The moment of the bite is manifested by the following symptoms:

acute pain due to the mandorotoxin contained in the poison;
tissue swelling with extensive hemorrhages.

At the site of the bite, an extensive hematoma of red-brown, purple or of blue color. The shade depends on the concentration of the dose received, which destroys the walls of blood vessels and tissues.

Further symptoms characteristic of an allergic reaction develop: itching, burning, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, headache, weakness, fever, decreased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat.

The content of histamine, an immediate neurotransmitter in allergic reactions, promotes rapid tissue swelling and the spread of toxins through the bloodstream. In addition, the human body, in response to allergens, produces its own histamine, which leads to an even greater severity of the process. The development of tissue necrosis and suppuration suggests that exposure to toxins has a detrimental effect on the skin and internal organs, spreading throughout the body.

In people who are resistant to allergies, bronchospasm develops and the lymph nodes become enlarged. Quincke's edema and anaphylaxis may develop, which are manifested by blueness of the nasolabial triangle, paralysis and paresis of the limbs, and difficulty breathing.

Urgent, within a few minutes, medical attention and hospitalization to the nearest medical facility is necessary.

What to do if you are bitten

The development of symptoms after a bite does not depend on what type of insect stung a person - a black hornet or a Japanese giant hornet, or other representatives. The body's response depends on the body's resistance and susceptibility to toxins. Therefore, there are three stages of manifestation of the clinical picture: mild, moderate and severe. Depending on this, first aid is provided.

Take an antihistamine and apply cold to slow down the spread of toxins through the bloodstream. Monitor your condition if no additional symptoms appear. The reaction to toxins also appears after 24 hours.

Danger to humans

The Japanese huge hornet often becomes a destroyer of bee apiaries, causing irreparable harm. 30 adult individuals will destroy the entire brood of a bee family, which consists of about 30 thousand bees. If a person is nearby, then an attack cannot be avoided. The hornet's sting can penetrate the skin several times.

For a person, the danger of a sting is causing harm to the bite site and the entire body as a whole, causing severe consequences and complications, including death.

The giant hornet lives only in subtropical climates, so it is not dangerous to Russians.

The Japanese giant hornet has three eyes at the top of its head
Giant hornets build multi-tiered nests, the base of which looks like gray paper.
The largest is the Asian Vespa mandarinia. In Japan it is called "sparrow bee" or "tiger bee".

During wars, Asians bombarded the enemy with hornet nests, thereby causing panic in their ranks.
Compared to the European, large individuals of the Asian representative are less aggressive.

Where do they live?

The Asian giant hornet lives on the territory of the Japanese islands, India, Korea, Nepal, in the mountains of Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Found in the Primorsky Territory of Russia.

Japanese hornets are found only on the islands of Japan; you will rarely see them on Sakhalin.
The primary habitat of hornets is the subtropics of Asia and America, southern Europe.

What do they eat?

Giant hornets are quite unpretentious eaters. They are big lovers of sweets - they eat soft fruits, berries, honey, nectar.

They also destroy other insects: locusts, grasshoppers, flies, butterflies, crickets, bees and other representatives, as well as eggs from which new insects will hatch. They kill victims with the help of powerful jaws in front of the head, carefully treat them with saliva, chew them and take them to their larvae to be devoured. Adults do not feed on insects. The larva feeds on processed insects, meat and fish from the trash heap, and dead insects. All of the above food is delivered to her by an adult hornet.

Methods for destroying hornet nests

The Japanese giant hornet cannot tolerate the smell of sulfur and ammonia. Therefore, throwing a rag soaked in ammonia over the nest, drive out the inhabitants. You can use sulfur to smoke out giant hosts.

Most in a simple way will be a quick dip of the nest in a container of water. The nest will become wet and not a single individual will leave it.
You can remove the hive using fire; just bring a match to the nest and it will instantly flare up.
Traps made from bottles of sugar or sweet water are relevant.

The secret weapon of Japanese bees

Bees against hornets have developed a unique method of dealing with uninvited guests. Their defense tactics are interesting - approximately 500 bees, having noticed the enemy, stick around him and create high temperatures around him, he will withstand no more than 47 ° C, while bees can withstand up to 50 °. Such temperature regime is supported by the enhanced operation of the wings. The lack of oxygen and hot air do their job - the giant insect dies. This way, the bees kill the hornet before it releases fear pheromones.

Bees and hornets have long been adversaries, despite being related. After all, a bee hive for a hornet is valuable and nutritious meat for the larvae and food for the adults.

Almost every person has experienced this in their life. Contact with a stinging insect is very sensitive and is usually accompanied by pain and itching. However, the Japanese hornet poses a much greater danger, the bite of which can be fatal. According to statistics, over 4 dozen people die every year in Japan from the bites of such giants. Moreover, citing reviews from people who suffered from such creatures, they have never experienced more painful bites in their lives. It is also surprising that the insect is capable, when danger approaches, of even stinging an enemy whose size is many times larger than its own.

Features of the insect

The huge Japanese hornet, referred to as the "sparrow bee", does not at all resemble a friendly bird. Moreover, the stinging insect has a very aggressive character.

Vespa mandarinia japonica (giant Japanese hornet) differs from its counterparts not only in color, but also in its large size:

It is an insect up to 5 cm, whose wingspan reaches 6-7 cm.
Externally, the giant is very similar to a wasp: it has a segmented body with yellow-brown stripes and a black chest. On the yellow-orange head there are two large eyes and three additional ocelli. A photo of a Japanese hornet is presented below.
One more characteristic feature The insect has powerful jaws, with the help of which the Japanese hornet is capable of harming an enemy even larger than itself.
The giant's main weapon is a very long sting (more than 6 mm). With its help, the Japanese hornet inflicts a painful blow, injecting poison with a nerve-paralytic effect into its victim. Moreover, only females have this organ.

On a note!
The giant's strongest venom can cause serious allergies even with a single bite; some victims experience the development of anaphylactic shock. The consequence of mass attacks by representatives of this species can be various hemorrhages and tissue necrosis.

Lifestyle and nutrition of the Japanese giant

Each individual in the hive has its own responsibilities. The “leadership position” is occupied by the queen, who is the continuer of the family. Food delivery is carried out by worker hornets. When going in search of it, working individuals can travel several kilometers.

Food for giant hornets includes not only fruits and sugar-containing vegetables, but also insect pests of agricultural crops, as well as honey bees. Having discovered a beehive, the hornet marks it with an odorous liquid, which allows it to later return to the find along with its fellows. During an attack, giants literally dismember the body of their victims, trying to extract valuable meat from them. Having dealt with the adults, the tyrants take the larvae and honey, which also serve them as food.

Interesting!
It will take the Japanese hornet no more than a minute to destroy up to 4 dozen bees. In 3 hours, 3 dozen individuals can destroy the entire bee family.

Where does the giant hornet live?

From the name of the insect, it becomes clear that the homeland of the huge Japanese hornet is Japan. Outside this country, the giant can only be found in the southern part of Sakhalin Island. When choosing a habitat, insects prefer quiet cozy places, building nests in hollows and on tree branches, in rock cracks and under the eaves of buildings. The cocoon of the giant hornet is very similar to the cocoon; it is distinguished from the latter only by its large dimensions.

How does it reproduce

In the spring, the fertilized female builds a nest from the bark of branches, which she crushes with her powerful jaws. The queen uterus wets wood particles with secretions salivary glands, as a result of which the composition takes on the appearance of rough paper.

From the 3 hundred eggs laid by the female, larvae appear in 7-10 days. After three molts they pupate. A month later, a young hornet emerges from the pupa. He can not only find food for himself, but also take care of the emerging larvae.

Interesting!
Unfertilized eggs develop exclusively into males. Future successors of the family occupy more spacious and comfortable cells.

As the number of individuals in the family increases, the dimensions of the nest also increase. Young individuals begin mating, future queens go in search of a favorable place to build a nest, and the males die as cold weather approaches. With the arrival of warmth, the females wake up and begin building a new shelter.

Bite symptoms

The bite of a Japanese hornet is accompanied by:

severe pain;
the occurrence of extensive redness and swelling in the area of damage to the skin;
rapid heartbeat and headache;
high body temperature and enlarged lymph nodes;
shortness of breath and nausea.

Giant hornets are capable of stinging their prey repeatedly, and to do this they do not necessarily land on the skin.

The release of histamine (a compound that causes allergies) into the human blood is especially dangerous for hypersensitive people. Therefore, they urgently need medical assistance.

Premedical actions include applying a cold compress to the bite site and taking an antihistamine.

What you should know

To avoid becoming a victim of the Japanese hornet, you must take basic precautions:

when meeting an insect, you should not wave your arms or make sudden movements, trying to drive it away from you;
there is no need to try to catch or kill a Japanese hornet, since after this the offender is unlikely to be able to avoid the attack;
Under no circumstances should you destroy a nest of dangerous insects.

You've probably been stung by a bee at least once in your life. Honey bee stings are, of course, quite sensitive, but the pain usually goes away quickly, leaving only a slight itch. However, in Japan, bees have a “distant relative” in the order Hymenoptera - the huge Japanese hornet (Vespa mandarina japonica), the attack of which can be much more dangerous for humans.

Suzumebachi (the Japanese name for the insect) live only on forested mountain slopes and reach 5 cm in length, with the sting accounting for about 6 mm of the body length, and the membranous wingspan averages about 7.5 cm.

But size is not the hornet’s most important weapon: the insect produces a highly toxic nerve poison that can literally dissolve human body tissue and also causes anaphylactic shock. When bitten by a hornet, a person is hospitalized as soon as possible, but, nevertheless, approximately 40 people a year die from attacks by “winged samurai”.

One of the hornet victims compares the sensation of the bite to a red-hot nail driven deep into the body. Fortunately, these insects are not too aggressive and attack a person only in case of a clear threat, but they can pursue the victim at a distance of up to five kilometers.

Hornets love to feast on honey, destroying bee hives - one individual can kill 40 bees per minute, and a “squad” of 30 suzumebachi can kill up to 30 thousand bees in three hours. In the process of evolution, bees have learned to stop the attacks of giant aggressors, using their numerical advantage: about 500 bees enclose the hornet in a tight ball and, with increased muscle work, raise the temperature inside it to 47 ° C, the hornet dies from heat shock, and for the defenders of the hive such heat safe - they can withstand 50 °C.

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