Once again awakened by that all too singular buzzing sound.

Another queen had found her way into our living space.

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After my last posts about making ōsuzumebachi traps and then actually catching one,, @mslight2016st and I did a bit of research and confirmed that the only ōsuzumebachi (asian giant hornets) out and about right now are queens, who have just come out of hibernation and are searching for nesting locations. As such, it seems like a great time to nip the problem in the bud and trap these guys (gals, I suppose) before they can set up shop in and around our house. Come June, the workers will have been born, and be out of the newly built hives ready to do their thing.

The video just below was taken after we had managed to corral today's queen into the space between the screen of a window and the window glass. I placed two homemade traps inside the same space and, sure enough, after a lot of searching for an opening, she finally caught a whiff of the red wine and that was the end. She fell right in. I have since moved the trap back outside and currently have three homemade traps set up around the house.

Video of today's queen:

Previous video of queen falling into trap:

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As you can see, these queens are not super large. Over an inch, but not as big as queens are often known to be. The average Vespa mandarinia (Asian Giant Hornet) apparently grows to be about 2.2 inches in length. The queens are even bigger. I am wondering if the somewhat diminutive size of the two I have trapped may be due to their having just come out of hibernation. They are also a bit slow and "dopey" in their movements. Regardless, though the video may make it hard to tell, she wasn't tiny, and I didn't want to piss her off!

Very large V. Mandarinia queens against a human hand for scale. Source.

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As I mentioned in my previous posts, these guys, even in the summer and autumn when they are much more active, generally mind their own business and leave humans alone.

That said, they can be fatal if provoked, and on average 30 to 40 people die annually here in Japan from their toxic stings.

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It's always good to be careful, watch where you are walking, and inspect the eaves of buildings and the treetops wherever you go here in Japan. The ōsuzumebachi can also live underground. If you want to read some CNN "fear porn" about the insect, you can check out this article. They can be very deadly en masse.

All that said, I actually find them to be pretty fascinating creatures which simply need to be respected. I am not out trying to find them or make friends, but generally when one buzzes by, I back away quietly and go somewhere else, or just open a window and let them find their way out. In today's case I used a trap because, as I said, I don't feel like letting the queens set up shop all around my home where I have a wife and a child (and myself!) to look after.

The sad fate of today's queen. The red wine is too enticing!

Thanks for reading, nature lovers, and stay safe out there!

~KafkA

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Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DLive and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)