The Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) is a hornet species native to Southeast Asia. The species has a distinctive yellow tarsi and a velvety brown or black thorax; the abdomen is brown with a narrow posterior yellow border. The head is black, and the face is yellow. The Asian Hornet builds nests made of paper in the shape of a huge egg that house several thousand individuals. They are opportunistic hunters that eat a wide range of insects like flies, dragonflies, and Orthoptera. The Asian Hornet is considered an invasive species, as they prey on honey bees, and they are a nuisance to humans.
The Asian Hornet has an overall body length between .79”-.94” (20-24 mm) for workers and 1.18” (30 mm) for the Queen. The body width is .2”-.24” (5-6 mm), and the body height is from .22”-.26” (5.5-6.5 mm). The wingspan of the Asian Hornet is in the range of 1.46”-1.97” (37-50 mm). The typical lifespan of the Asian Hornet is between 2-3 weeks for workers and around 1 year for the Queen.
The Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) is a hornet species native to Southeast Asia. The species has a distinctive yellow tarsi and a velvety brown or black thorax; the abdomen is brown with a narrow posterior yellow border. The head is black, and the face is yellow. The Asian Hornet builds nests made of paper in the shape of a huge egg that house several thousand individuals. They are opportunistic hunters that eat a wide range of insects like flies, dragonflies, and Orthoptera. The Asian Hornet is considered an invasive species, as they prey on honey bees, and they are a nuisance to humans.
The Asian Hornet has an overall body length between .79”-.94” (20-24 mm) for workers and 1.18” (30 mm) for the Queen. The body width is .2”-.24” (5-6 mm), and the body height is from .22”-.26” (5.5-6.5 mm). The wingspan of the Asian Hornet is in the range of 1.46”-1.97” (37-50 mm). The typical lifespan of the Asian Hornet is between 2-3 weeks for workers and around 1 year for the Queen.
