Little Monsters - Part VIII: Giant Japanese Hornet!
This is a legitimate monster and actually poses a danger to human beings. Killing about 30-40 people in Japan per year source. However, that figure also includes deaths from other bees and wasps.
It is a subspecies of the largest hornet in the world: The Giant Asian Hornet. Vespa Mandarina Japonica grows to nearly the same size 45mm+ for it's body length and about 60mm for its wings!
Here is one that I heard first; they have a distictively low droning sound, then spotted it on the tree above me. It appeared to be checking the leaves for caterpillars or other insects to mash up and take back to the hive.
Same picture as the first I've used for the thumbnail, showing greater context.
They always look that angry, it's just how they are.
Later on the same day I spotted another wasp also searching for food:
Since I don't own a fancy space/bee suit I was disinclined to get any closer! A 50mm wasp as thick as your finger is a very intimidating creature.
Here is a video from National Geographic, with somewhat overly dramatisized voice over. They DO have fancy spacebee suits! Wonderful footage, I highly recommend it! Video
Stats and facts were also sourced from the wikipedia entry on Asian Giant Hornet.
I hope you're enjoying the series as much as I am writing it!
Follow and upvote to see the next installment in your feed!
Comments are always welcome!
Little Monsters - Part I: Wolf Spiders
Little Monsters - Part II: Golden Orb Weaver
Little Monsters - Part III: Lynx Spiders!
Little Monsters - Part IV: Decorator Orb Weaver
Little Monsters - Part V: Black Back Paper Wasp
Little Monsters - Part VI: Dragonfly
Little Monsters - Part VII: Indian Fritallary
I maintain and reserve copyright on all of my photos.
I found you through the photochallenge and am excited to find your posts. I love your work. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your support!
@everlove is absolutely right, you're doing a great job! Keep going!
nice1
Thank you!
That little guy looks pretty ornery!
Very ornery!
Wow, they look really intense! I wouldn't get any closer to it either!
It's one of the few insects that will make me leave the area post-haste.
This was another great post. The first sentence grabbed my attention. They look huge in comparison to your everyday hornet and bumblebee. Recently got stung by a bee and I treated my wound with mud, after cooling the sting with ice, let it dry, and it actually went really well healing quickly without much swelling at all. I couldn't imagine being stung by these hornets. The pain must be burning hot. Looking forward to your next post. Great work again. I actually wished it was a bit longer. Upvoted
They are huge! The post says 45-50mm but just numbers like that doesn't really convey how big they are, depending on the size of your fingers it's like the first two sections of your index finger, flying, and perpetually angry!
Apparently the sting feels like a hot nail being driven into you. But I've only read that and have thankfully experienced neither hot nails nor being stung by this wasps 6mm stinger. 6mm! That's another reason I didn't try to get more pictures. The lens I had was a prime lens so ...no zoom unless you get closer!
I'm glad the mud and ice helped with your sting!
I'll have more pictures and a longer post for the next "Little Monster" I just didn't have many pictures of this beast.
Thank you for your support!
Yeah good call on keeping your distance. Your posts are truly fascinating. You're most welcome. Definitely staying tuned
One big wasp :O
Yeah, no one messes with them!
That is truly horrifying!!!
They certainly are, I'm glad I've never met more than one at a time!
That looks scary.
Sometimes looks can be deceiving, this is not one of those times.
Good post ...
http://joyreactor.com/post/1562537
Yeah, those are the ones. In that picture they look a bit burnt though...
Point is, your pics are good !
Thank you!