Jasper the Japanese Hornet gives you fair warning
By Audrey Rabalais, Local CorrespondentThu, Jun 11 2009 at 7:52 PM EST
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Continuing my fascination with amazingly talented animals this week, I have invited a guest blogger from Japan. He is about two inches long with a three-inch wingspan and a quarter-inch stinger. Jasper is a Giant Japanese Hornet, and though he was kind enough to write this blog, I do not recommend an in-person (in-insect?) encounter with him. I will let him explain why:
"Konnichiwa, all! My name is Jasper, and I have been invited to share a few things about my species, the Japanese or Asian Giant Hornet. First of all, my species is found in temperate and tropical Eastern Asia including the countries of Japan, China and Taiwan. We are colonial insects who hail to a queen that produces all the larvae, just as in most bee or hornet species. However, we are not your average hornet species. Not by a long shot. You Americans can think of us as the Chuck Norris of hornets."Since we are large insects, we feed on large things. Our typical diet consists of other hornet species, praying mantises and honeybees. We have a notorious ability to take down a hive of European honey bees. Twelve of us can do so in just 30 hours. Our main objective is to get at the honey these bees make as well as their larvae, both of which we use to nourish ourselves and our own larvae. The adult bees are simply ripped apart by our large mandibles, helplessly. A video of the carnage that takes place can be found here: National Geographic Hornet Video. Audrey did not want me to embed this video, as it is a bit graphic for squeamish readers.
"Though humans are never our main target, it is estimated that approximately 40 humans die every year from our attacks. Our stingers contain a venom that can dissolve skin and is lethal to humans if not treated quickly. We can also travel at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour for 60 miles. We are also known for ejecting acidic saliva from our mouths into eyes. Sorry, but nature's gotta defend itself!
"I do hope that you are able to visit Asia at some point in your lifetime. However, you have been warned about our species. Thanks for your time!"
Luckily, these hornets do not exist in Ohio or in the United States at all. Summertime is here, however, and it is prime time for the insect order Hymenoptera, including bees, wasps, hornets and ants to be out. Be sure to stay away from nests and watch the ground for ant hills.
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Comments
Seanathan
10/18/2011 09:06 AM
I saw what looked to be a Japenese Hornet yesterday, except it was 2 feet long, not 2 inches. It was flying around, about the size of a Crow..but was definitely a type of Hornet. The wings were about 3 feet long. What a surprise this one was. I now keep it on a leash and she is my pet. Her name is kowabunga. ;-)
cameron.norton
08/28/2011 10:29 AM
there is none in america!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Ann 8/26/11 Albertville, Al
08/27/2011 09:15 AM
I encountered one on my porch yesterday. I sprayed it with spray and a hour later it was still alive, sprayed it again but took a while for it to stop moving. This thing was scarey.
Rebekah
08/16/2011 21:10 PM
Hi, these hornets are indeed in the united states, as plenty of people have seen them around, and so have I. I was living in Richmond, VA when I first saw this insect, right on my front porch on my plant. I had to take pictures, and I did, and still have those pictures.
Anonymous
12/06/2011 20:51 PM
That's right. These hornets were introduced to kill a type of beetle responsible for destroying pine tree forests
Barret
07/21/2011 09:50 AM
I live in WV and there is an Asian Hornet living under my back steps. I'm going to call the exterminator to take care of it or them. We use those back steps and cannot afford to have them a danger to us.
Charles
04/06/2011 01:19 AM
People who think they've seen a giant Japanese hornet in America have in all likelihood not seen one at all, but rather a giant cicada killer wasp. The cicada killer in some cases is even larger, is beyond argument the more powerful flier and a more capable aerial acrobat, but it is rarely aggressive and is unlikely to sting. The buzzing is very loud and it's sometimes called a giant sand hornet.
me
11/19/2010 14:10 PM
I work at a Freightliner dealership in Michigan and found on of these hornets dead on the front of a truck, that was over a year ago and it still haunts me. Yet another incidental from overseas, ugh it seems we get all the unwanted species from other countries here.
PC
11/05/2010 16:35 PM
I live on Cumberland Plateau about 6 miles from the Tennessee River, These things are huge 2" to 2 1/2". There so big I shot one with my pellet gun....European Hornet "Vespa crabro germana" only 1 1/4" have those also. I will photograph some next season....
beefobia
05/12/2010 08:46 AM
The Japanese Hornet is in the US. I have spotted them in the mountains of Tennessee.
mzdmeaner
08/19/2010 17:36 PM
These look like the hornets we are dealing with along the Tennesse River at Big Sandy.
kraut
05/27/2010 08:43 AM
Hopefully someone is keeping an eye on that. If they decimate the local population of bees...that could detrimental for local farming and pollination in general.
