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I had never seen these before until last fall. They look similar to the Bald Faced Hornet that we have around here only twice as big. Are these what is called Giant Hornet? I can't find info on this.
Wasp/Hornet ID
- Thread starter Brian S
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I was just looking at some other wasp threads here. Maybe that is the Vespa crabro too?
Link:
http://arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=30113
Link:
http://arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=30113
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That's it Elizabeth!!! Thanx!!! 
I meant to say "European Hornet" instead of Giant Hornet.
These are much bigger than the native hornets. I have a large White Oak Tree in the yard that drips sap and these hornets come and eat the sap that oozes out.
Thanx again
I meant to say "European Hornet" instead of Giant Hornet.
These are much bigger than the native hornets. I have a large White Oak Tree in the yard that drips sap and these hornets come and eat the sap that oozes out.
Thanx again
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@Elizabeth:
If you are interrested in Hornets try googling for Vespa mandarinia,
those are awesome!
I would like to watch those in free nature, unfortunately I'd have to travel to Japan and wear protective clothing, unlike Vespa crabro, they are said to be highly aggressive!
If you are interrested in Hornets try googling for Vespa mandarinia,
those are awesome!
I would like to watch those in free nature, unfortunately I'd have to travel to Japan and wear protective clothing, unlike Vespa crabro, they are said to be highly aggressive!
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That is a Vespa crabro
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Nice pics, and nice hornet! Unfortunately I've never seen a live Vespa crabro specimen before, only a faded out preserved specimen at a display.
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I had never seen them before until last year. The only place that I see them is around the oak tree when it is oozing sap. The Bald Faced Hornets also gather around this tree.vespa_bicolor said:
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They're european hornets? I was always under the impression that they were cicada-killers, our areas largest wasp... oh well, now I'll have to change the labels in my collection...I have 3 big ones...
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A link for info and pics on cicada killers: http://www.vespa-crabro.de/baldfaced/cicada.htmorcrist said:
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Finally received Vespa crabro and baldfaced hornet specimens of my own!! Of course, dead ones. But at least I have a chance to see them up close. The Vespa crabro queens are really big too!
Sorry for the lousy pics by the way, took them in a hurry with my digital camera.
First pic shows 2 workers, a male (long antennae) and a queen (the biggest one). Second shows Vespa crabro queen and worker and baldfaced hornet worker. Third pic is Vespa crabro and Vespa bicolor workers. Vespa bicolor is the most common hornet in Hong Kong, and also the smallest; most of them are smaller than the baldfaced hornet specimen I received!!
Sorry for the lousy pics by the way, took them in a hurry with my digital camera.
First pic shows 2 workers, a male (long antennae) and a queen (the biggest one). Second shows Vespa crabro queen and worker and baldfaced hornet worker. Third pic is Vespa crabro and Vespa bicolor workers. Vespa bicolor is the most common hornet in Hong Kong, and also the smallest; most of them are smaller than the baldfaced hornet specimen I received!!
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Vespa mandarinia is another species I haven't had the fortune to see closeup. But in Hong Kong there's Vespa ducalis, the biggest hornet and biggest among all local wasps, and grows to only slightly smaller than V. mandarinia. It's only found in rural, unpolluted areas though, and it's really a beautiful creature, especially when seen alive in the wild (dead specimens don't do it justice). The pic below shows a worker in comparison with a worker and queen Vespa crabro. Second pic is of all Vespa specimens in my collection plus the baldfaced hornet (all workers).Spaceman_Spiff said:
We once had a big one (might be a queen) terrorizing our bathroom (I live in Southern District). It just wouldn't go away... trying to find a new place to start a hive maybe? It seemed to have settled underneath the litter bin. Eventually we decided that's no good and had to spray it with insecticide. Beautiful species though I agree.vespa_bicolor said:
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You mean the Vespa ducalis? I have never actually seen a confirmed queen of this species, I'm guessing it is huge. A worker is already like 35 mm or larger! But if it was between end of february and may it may have been a queen. This species is much more common in the New Territories though. I've only seen 3 in Hong Kong island personally; 2 were at Aberdeen country park and one along the road to Stanley.JohnxII said: