There is a huge amount in the world various types insects - bees, hornets, wasps and others. Some of them are not dangerous to humans, some, on the contrary, can be fatal, especially if a person is allergic to insect venom. Most insect species have a standard small size, but there are very large subspecies, for example, the Asian giant hornet.

The largest hornet in the world: description

The largest on this moment The hornet in the world is the Asian one, the official name is the Vespa Mandarinia hornet. This is an insect whose attack can be fatal to a person with an allergy to the poison or have serious consequences. They can live in regions of China, Japan, India and Nepal. They are also found in Russia, the main habitat here is the areas bordering China - Vladivostok and its environs. On the Chinese island of Taiwan, this insect is called the "tiger bee", and in various Japanese regions - as the royal hornet.

Asian hornet

The size of the huge hornet impresses tourists visiting the regions where these giants live. Asia is rich in various insects, but these are definitely the largest. The sizes can be really impressive:

• the length usually does not exceed 1 cm, but some individuals grow up to 5 cm in length;
• The wingspan averages about 3 cm, and especially large specimens- up to 7 cm or more;
• The length of the sting is on average 6 mm, which makes it easy to pierce the skin of a person or animal.

After stinging, the sting remains with them and can be used repeatedly. In this way, the giant hornet is very similar to an ordinary wasp. They live in nests that they themselves create from chewed particles of paper, tree bark and other materials. The home is ruled by the female, who is often its founder. At the beginning of the season, she lays eggs, from which offspring then appear that live in this nest.

Important! Asian hornets, except for Primorye, are not found in the CIS countries, so you should beware of them when visiting Asian countries.

For healthy person For those who do not suffer from allergies, these species are practically not dangerous, but when attacked by a group they can be fatal. In the regions where they live, attacks on rural residents are very common. After being stung, large swelling forms, the area instantly turns red and there is terrible pain. The Japanese scientist M. Ono once described the attack of the Asian hornet very meaningfully, saying that he felt as if a nail that was hot to the limit had been hammered into the affected area. There are cases where people who were not allergic to insects died from stings, since their venom is very complex chemical composition. It is noteworthy that this species extremely rarely uses its sting; most often, thanks to its developed jaws, they simply tear out a piece of skin.

After stinging, the sting remains with them

The life cycle of these remarkable hornets usually consists of the following stages:

• at the moment when the nest reaches large sizes, the queen begins to actively lay eggs, from which offspring appear - the so-called working hands of the nest;
• after some time, the offspring begin to reproduce among themselves, after which the males die;
• when heavy rains begin in Asia, the nest declines and completely dies out.

In general, the life period is about one year. Often this species does not have time to survive to natural death; they die from various viruses and tick attacks.

Many people are terrified of large hornets, especially Asian ones. However, in fact, this species is not aggressive and practically does not attack first. A huge number of attacks most often occurred due to the fault of the person himself, who was close to the nest, or by individual individuals. Hornets generally attack by perceiving the presence of strangers as a threat and act defensively.

Important! These insects cause great harm to beekeepers, as they often attack bees and their habitats.

However, their great benefits have been scientifically proven, since they destroy harmful insects and mosquitoes. Their poison is added to some medicines, as it is believed that it improves immunity.

What are giant murder hornets?

The largest hornet in the world is the Asian one

Giant murder hornets are members of the common genus Vespa. The largest hornet in the world is the Asian one, as well as its tiger counterpart. Some individuals of these species grow to enormous sizes, so they are often compared to sparrows or small animals. The genus Vespa is translated from Latin as “wasp,” which is useful for forests, gardens and vegetable gardens because it feeds on harmful insects and mosquitoes. Their benefits have been scientifically proven for a long time; in some countries they are protected by environmentalists.

Unlike regular OS giant hornets They hurt more: the affected area hurts terribly and swelling forms. They also differ in that at the moment of threat to a nest or group, insects mobilize and attack immediately in a whole swarm. Known deaths, when people were bitten by several individuals at the same time. When the nest is threatened, they can release a special Chemical substance, which serves as a danger signal for the inhabitants.

For your information! At the moment, about 20 different species of murder hornets are known, but mostly they all live in Asian countries.

Tiger hornet: what it is and what it looks like

This subspecies is found in Japan and Taiwan and is also included in the genus Vespa. It is practically no different from its counterparts that live in other parts of Asia, except that they sometimes have a striped coloring closer to the sting. Due to this, they look very similar to wasps.

Tiger hornet

The largest bumblebee in the world

Bumblebees are part of the bee genus and are one of the closest species to ordinary honey bees. The largest are the Asian ones, which are often called killer bumblebees or tiger bees due to their tiger-like coloring.

These insects are usually quite large in size:

• the body is about 30 mm long in females and 26 mm in males;
• the width is about 15 mm;
• The wingspan can reach 50 mm in the largest individuals.

Note! Giant killer bumblebees most often live in forests, groves and agricultural lands, since in this area it is more convenient for them to build nests, which are usually located in the crowns of trees. Bumblebees are dangerous, and their poison is quite strong. After being stung, a person can easily end up in the hospital.

Giant bumblebee, or tiger bumblebee, is a name most often found in Japan or China. Despite the development of medicine and the creation of new drugs, relatively few people still die from attacks by representatives of this species. a large number of people, numbering in the hundreds all over the world. The bumblebee is a more aggressive insect, and there are cases when it attacked first. It has well-developed jaws, so it can not only sting, but also bite painfully. Bites, by the way, hurt the most. However, for residents of Russia and other CIS countries there is no reason to fear, since this class does not occur here. You should only be careful if you are planning a trip to Asian countries.

Giant killer bumblebees most often live in forests, groves and farmland

Important! The giant bumblebee has a relatively small wingspan, making it appear that this insect is unable to fly normally. This disadvantage is compensated by more frequent strokes, sometimes the frequency can reach more than 400 per second, which is almost impossible to notice with the naked eye.

This class of insects feeds on the sap of trees and plants, as well as the nectar of flowers. The sting remains with the bumblebee after the attack, and therefore it has the ability to use it repeatedly. During the attack, he injects a small amount of poison. Particularly dangerous can be cases where it gets into a vein or vessel. Then the poison acts on the body faster. This shows up more severe pain and swelling. An affected person with an allergy needs immediate assistance medical care.

Giant bumblebees and hornets are insects of enormous size for their species. They are poisonous and can cause severe harm. Despite this, they rarely attack on their own, most often in order to protect their habitat. This is worth considering when planning a trip to Asian countries. In Russia they are rare, but still, whoever is warned is protected!

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 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 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.

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 normal life activities largely depends on them and, above all, this is due to the distribution area of a given 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 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 poison 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 allergic reaction Such regret 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 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.

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. internal organs located close to 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.

Among all Asian insects, the Vespa Mandarinia hornet is one of the most famous. This is not surprising, if only because its enormous size makes it extremely noticeable: a huge wasp with a body length of 5 cm and a wingspan of up to 6-7 cm somehow naturally attracts the attention of a tourist or traveler. It is not for nothing that in Asian countries this insect is also called the sparrow bee - for its impressive size.

However, the Asian hornet has another popular name - it is called the tiger bee for its extremely painful stings. Among local residents, in contrast to the enthusiastic reviews of tourists, the Vespa Mandarinia hornet has rather gained a bad reputation: 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 giant hornet is a threat to all honey bees, so beekeepers in Thailand, India and Japan regularly suffer serious losses from invasions of these predators.

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 (larger animals can more easily tolerate high temperatures, since they have a large surface area for heat transfer to the environment). In addition, due to its size, this giant can count on a large number of potential victims, even those comparable in size to it. 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.

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 large eyes that most attracts attention.

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.

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.

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 South-East Asia and reaches Russian Primorye, where it is quite common and numerous.

It is worth noting that the species Vespa Mandarinia is divided into several subspecies at different points in its range. So, in Japan, for example, there lives a subspecies of the Japanese huge hornet, 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.

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 an Asian hornet is, although extremely painful, but for a healthy person with normally functioning immune system does not pose a mortal danger.

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.

Due to the presence of several protein toxins in the hornet's venom, its entry into soft fabrics 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 to 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.

Much more harm Hornets attack apiaries, especially those that support less aggressive European honey bees. 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 are the same beekeepers who, without special means of protection, 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.

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 pests and Agriculture, therefore, in most biocenoses - including agricultural lands - they are useful and deserve protection.

Several dozen hornets completely destroyed a bee hive

One of the most terrible insects is the Asian hornet. Photo of this creature for last decade appeared in many news reports related to the death of a person. Not to mention the fear it brings to its relatives in the wild.

What makes it so special? Why is the Asian giant hornet dominant over other insect species? And how dangerous is it for ordinary people? All these questions have long troubled the souls of inquisitive naturalists, and therefore it is time to give unambiguous answers to them.

Giant insect

The Asian hornet is the official name of this species. However, every nation has given name for this creature. For example, on the island of Taiwan it is called the “tiger bee” because its sting is very painful. And in Japan I call these hornets “sparrow bees” because of their bulky wings.

And there are many similar examples, but they all boil down to one thing - the strength and size of the Asian hornet. And this is not surprising, because among all 27 species of hornets, it leads by a huge gap. That is why it is also called the giant insect, thereby indicating its amazing proportions.

Habitat

Based on the name, it is easy to guess that this creature lives on the Asian side of the continent. In particular, it can be found in China, Korea, India, Nepal, as well as on the islands of Japan and Taiwan.

Many people are now clearly interested in the question: “Is there an Asian hornet in Russia?” Well, the answer will be yes. In our country, it can be found in the Primorsky Territory, and its population is not modest in size.

Distinctive features

The huge Asian hornet is not much different from its relatives, except for size, of course. Adults grow up to 5 cm in length, making them giants in the insect world.

Otherwise, they strongly resemble wasps and bees, especially in coloring. The entire body of the hornet is divided into yellow and black stripes. At the same time, the head of the “bee-tiger” is always yellow color- this is another one of his distinguishing feature. But most of the wide stripes on the body, on the contrary, have a black tint.

The Asian hornet also has large front jaws that can bite a small insect in half. They are one of the most formidable weapons of the hornet, along with its poisoned sting.

The harsh lifestyle that the Asian giant hornet is used to

With the arrival of the first spring warmth, all the insects begin to crawl out. It is during this period that the queen hornet awakens from her winter sleep. Full of strength and ambition, she goes in search of a new home, which often becomes an empty hollow or hole in the ground.

After which she begins to actively lay eggs, from which her first servants will hatch in 2-3 days. If you believe the research of scientists, then in a few weeks the population of such a family can grow to a couple of thousand individuals.

It is quite difficult to feed such a number of hornets, and therefore the scouts of the hive every day, like crazy, rush around the area in search of profit. Anyone smaller than the “tiger bees” themselves, and sometimes even “relatives” comparable to them, can become food. Even such a formidable representative of the eastern fauna as the praying mantis is unable to control them.

War with bees

However, for some types of insects, the Asian hornet is not just an enemy, but the number one goal. In particular, he wages a brutal war on bees. At the same time, for his little relatives, such a confrontation borders on genocide, but let’s talk about everything in order.

As mentioned earlier, the Asian hornet is very voracious. To provide for yourself and your relatives the right amount meat, he looks for more and more new sources of food. Therefore, a beehive for him is like After all, by and large, small bees will not do anything against a flock of huge hornets.

Therefore, for the honey plant workers, the only chance to survive is to destroy the scout before he marks the territory with his pheromones. At the same time, the swarm immediately attacks the hornet, not allowing it to come to its senses. But they do not sting him, but envelop him with their bodies in order to increase the temperature inside the living cocoon.

This method is very effective, since hornets are less resistant to heat than bees. However, more than a dozen small insects die in such battles. And yet such a sacrifice is entirely justified, given the stakes that were at stake.

The danger posed by the Asian hornet

As you know, this insect has two formidable weapons: jaws and sting. And if the first brings terrible pain, then the second can easily take life. And the reason for this is the poison contained in the special glands of the Asian hornet.

As soon as toxins enter the victim’s blood, they immediately begin to corrode the cell structure. For small insects and mammals this is certain death. As for more major representatives animal world, then in most cases they survive a hornet attack.

But a person will have a hard time if he is bitten by a “bee-tiger”. And if medical assistance is not provided to the victim in time, serious complications can arise. Especially if the victim suffers from an allergy to bee venom. But it will be much worse if there are several bites, because in this case death is almost inevitable.

And this is not just intimidation or false rumors. In Korea alone, up to 40 people can die from hornet attacks in one year. And if we take statistics for all of Asia, the numbers become even worse. Blame it all aggressive disposition Asian hornet, as well as its close contact with people. Therefore, it would be best to avoid meeting him, and if it has already taken place, then do everything possible to protect yourself and your family from bites.

The most large insects in the world they relate to and outwardly resemble them, surpassing them only in size. The giant Asian hornet is the most dangerous in the world, because it kills several dozen people every year. Another species is the black hornet, although smaller in size, different in an original way reproduction.

Varieties of giant hornets

Our planet is home to 23 species, whose lifestyles have much in common, and external signs They differ in size, color, and there are differences in nutrition and behavior. The most gigantic and dangerous insect for humans is the species of Asian hornet (Vespa Mandarinia), which lives in the forests of Southeast Asia and the Far East, in subtropical regions Central Asia, Southern Europe, in North Africa and the Middle East.

Depending on the habitat, Asian Mandarins are divided into several subspecies: for example, they live in Japan, in China - Chinese, etc.

The following types of giant hornets also include:

• Orientals, considered the most beautiful among their brethren, are red-brown in color and have 3 yellow stripes on their bellies. They live in arid zones of Russia and the Middle East, preferring dry steppes and deserts.
• The black or Dybowski hornet (Vespa dybowskii) differs from other species in that it nests in the already built houses of its fellows, first killing the queen and all the inhabitants.
• The African hornet is one of the subspecies of the Asian “giant wasp”; it is also yellow-black in color, but lives in North African countries: Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, etc.

Interesting!

In nature in southern regions Europe, in the Crimea or the Caucasus, in the Middle East you can find black hornets with blue wings, quite large in size - up to 28 mm. However, according to the biological classification, they are called and are representatives of the bee family.

Description of the Asian giant

And the largest hornets on Earth are the Asian giant hornets, which can be found in the forests of not only Asia, but also other countries, which should be taken into account by tourists planning to visit exotic corners of the planet.

Externally, the Asian hornet looks like a huge yellow-black wasp with a wingspan of up to 7.5 cm, so it is impossible not to notice it.

Interesting!

IN different countries local residents call it “sparrow bee” or “tiger bee” not only for its size and the presence of black and yellow stripes, but also for the deadly danger of bites, which cause severe toxic poisoning in people, and can be fatal for allergy sufferers.

The body of the giant Asian Mandarin reaches 5 cm in length, is colored with yellow and black stripes, the chest is almost completely brown or black. Unlike the European species, the head is bright yellow and has long whiskers. The number of eyes is 5: in addition to the usual 2, the forehead is decorated with 3 additional organs of vision, which allow better orientation in space and terrain, and the ability to distinguish colors (see photo of the largest hornet and its eyes).

According to its feeding method, it is a predator that actively hunts small insects, including pests. However, giant hornets also destroy beneficial bees, causing severe damage to apiaries. Their larger sizes allow them to obtain more food, which is inaccessible to their smaller relatives. They also love to feast on sweet fruits and berries, juices or nectar.

Asian hornet venom and consequences of a bite

Characteristic feature Giant murder hornets have the ability to use their sting to repeatedly bite and inject toxic venom into the body of the victim. The substance formed in the body of the insect has a complex composition and has a strong poisoning ability.

The main components of the venom of Asian giant hornets:

• histamine, which promotes swelling and an allergic reaction;
• Mandorotoxin – refers to a type of neurotoxin that affects the blocking nervous system mammals;
• acetylcholine - a substance released during a bite, which attracts other hornets with its smell, after which the victim is attacked by several relatives at once;
• toxic substances that have a melting effect on the victim’s tissue, which causes severe pain and even shock.

The human body's reaction to a hornet sting usually manifests itself almost instantly: severe inflammation, swelling and hardening occur at the site of injection of the poison, and blood flow (hyperemia). Then the temperature begins to rise, enlarged lymph nodes, shortness of breath and headaches, and an attack of palpitations. In a situation where a person prone to allergies is attacked, asphyxia (suffocation) may develop within almost a few minutes, which can lead to death.

Due to the fact that hornets often attack with the entire “army,” as a result of numerous bites, a completely healthy person may develop tissue necrosis and extensive hemorrhages in the internal organs.

Interesting!

Every year on the Japanese islands, about 70 people die from the bites of giant hornets, which exceeds the mortality rate from the bites of any large or small wild animals and indicates the extreme danger of the “Asian killers.”

Life cycle

The habitat of most Asian hornets in Russia is Far East, as well as forested areas of China, Japan, India and Korea. After hibernation The queen, fertilized in the fall, is looking for a place to build. The building material for it is tree bark chewed by the jaws, from which the “builders” form honeycombs and a house in the form of a cocoon, which is hung on tree branches or hidden in a hollow or cave.

After construction, the female lays eggs in honeycombs and secures them with a sticky mass. As they mature, larvae appear, which are fed by workers of the colony, for which they bring small insects from hunting, which they first partially chew in their mouths.

In almost 2 weeks, the larvae grow into full-fledged female hornets and drones, which are engaged in further construction of the nest. In total, the queen can lay up to 500 eggs in a colony.

Interesting!

At the end of the warm season, the female and working males die, only fertilized individuals - the future founders of colonies - remain alive.

Hunting tactics of giant hornets

All months, from spring to colder weather in autumn, from early morning to late evening, Asian hornets hunt to obtain food for the larvae developing in the nest. Flying through the forest, scouts look for small insects, as well as bee hives. Having discovered them, they mark them with a special substance containing odorous pheromones. The attractive aroma attracts worker hornets, which kill the entire population of the colony and take away the honey and larvae.

On a note!

According to scientists, in one hunting operation, aggressive “conquerors” can destroy a colony of 30 thousand bees. However, the inhabitants of the hive do not always give up without a fight; sometimes they manage to kill the scout before the signal is given and can save their offspring from death. To do this, they lure it inside the hive, where, using vibration of the wings, they increase the air temperature to +50ºС, which causes overheating and death of the scout hornet.

For a lone insect caught on the road by a “hunter”, there is no way to escape. When attacked, the predator manages to quickly inject a paralyzing poison, and then chews the prey with its powerful jaws. It only takes a few seconds to decapitate a praying mantis, which is larger than an Asian wasp.

The habitat of this species: Primorye and Transbaikalia in Russia, as well as Asian countries: China, India, Burma, Japan and Korea, Thailand. The size of the body is up to 31 mm in females, 22-25 mm in males.

On a note!

The color of the insects is very different from the “giant wasps”: the abdomen is black, the head has a red and black pattern, the wings are dark brown, as can be seen in the photo of the black hornet below.

Having penetrated inside, the black female kills the queen of the colony and takes her place, camouflaging herself with the help of special pheromones. She lays her own fertilized eggs, and the workers, not noticing the replacement, begin to feed her larvae and serve the new queen.

When the number of mature black females and males has increased sufficiently, they leave the colony and mate. Later, the males die, and the females hibernate in the bark of trees or look for the next nest to establish their home.

How to avoid hornet stings

If you encounter “giant wasps” in nature, you should behave carefully and not panic. Such insects never attack humans on their own, but only when there is a threat of destruction of their nest or causing damage.

Therefore, when in the forest near beehives or flying “giant wasps”, you must adhere to following rules behavior:

• they should never be caught or disturbed;
• it is dangerous for life to approach the nest or try to touch it;
• You cannot make sudden movements or knock on trees, because “giant wasps” understand such actions as a threat;
• if you kill one hornet, the whole family will fly to the smell it gives off;
• the smells of bananas or apples can provoke an attack, so it is not recommended to use cosmetics with such scents when going into the forest.

It should be remembered that giant hornets are forest orderlies, destroying many types of pests; there are few of them left in nature, which is why they are listed in the Red Book.