Asian giant hornet
Channel: all the knowledge of the universe PRINCIPIA
Date: 2022-01-07

Asian giant hornet, by Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=1002559 / CC BY SA 3.0

#Hymenoptera_of_Asia
#Insects_described_in_1852
#Taxa_named_by_Frederick_Smith_(entomologist)
#Vespidae
The Asian giant hornet （Vespa mandarinia）, including the color form referred to as the Japanese giant hornet, is the world's largest hornet.
It is native to temperate and tropical East Asia, South Asia, Mainland Southeast Asia, and parts of the Russian Far East.
It was also found in the Pacific Northwest of North America in late 2019 with a few more additional sightings in 2020, and nests found in 2021, prompting concern that it could become an invasive species.
Asian giant hornets prefer to live in low mountains and forests, while almost completely avoiding plains and high-altitude climates.
V. mandarinia creates nests by digging, co-opting pre-existing tunnels dug by rodents, or occupying spaces near rotted pine roots.
It feeds primarily on larger insects, colonies of other eusocial insects, tree sap, and honey from honey bee colonies.
The hornet has a body length of 45 mm （1+3⁄4 in）, a wingspan around 75 mm （3 in）, and a stinger 6 mm （1⁄4 in） long, which injects a large amount of potent venom.
Although the scientific literature and official government sources continue to refer to this species by its established common name, the mainstream media have taken to using the nickname "murder hornet".
The species has been around since the Miocene as indicated by fossils found in Shanwang formation.
V. mandarinia is a species in the genus Vespa, which comprises all true hornets.
Along with seven other species, V. mandarinia is a part of the V. tropica species group, defined by the single notch located on the apical margin of the seventh gastral sternum of the male.
The most closely related species within the species group is V. soror.
The triangular shape of the apical margin of the clypeus of the female is diagnostic, the vertex of both species is enlarged, and the shape of the...