Taxonomy
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Vespidae Laicharting, 1781
Subfamily: Vespinae Laicharting, 1781
Genus: Vespa Linnaeus, 1758
Species: Vespa luctuosa Saussure, 1854
Common names: Philippine hornet
Background
Vespa luctuosa is endemicendemic:
an animal restricted to a specific region
to the Philippines (Smith-Pardo et al. 2020)(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020):
Smith-Pardo A., JM Carpenter amp; LS Kimsey. 2020. The diversity of hornets in the genus Vespa , their importance and interceptions in the United States. Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3): 1ndash;27.. Little is known about the biology of this species, except that its nests are rarely built in or on human structures (Archer 1999)(Archer 1999):
Archer ME. 1999. Taxonomy, distribution, and nesting biology of Vespa binghami, V. basalis, V. variabilis, V. fervida, V. luctuosa, V. multimaculata, and V. bellicose (Hym., Vespinae). Entomologistrsquo;s Monthly Magazine 135: 43ndash;50..
Distribution
Vespa luctuosa is endemicendemic:
an animal restricted to a specific region
to the Philippine Islands of Luzon, Leyte, Samar, and Negros (Smith-Pardo et al. 2020)(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020):
Smith-Pardo A., JM Carpenter amp; LS Kimsey. 2020. The diversity of hornets in the genus Vespa , their importance and interceptions in the United States. Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3): 1ndash;27..
Diagnostic characteristics
To identify the genus:
- both pronotal and pretegular carinae present
- head vertexvertex:
the area between the ocelli and the back of the head
with the distance from posterior ocellusocellus:
single facet light reception organs; on the top of the adult head
to the posterior margin of vertexvertex:
the area between the ocelli and the back of the head
more than twice the distance between the posterior ocelliocelli:
single facet light reception organs; on the top of the adult head
and the compound eye
- basal basal:
originating at the foundation of a structure
metasomal segment anteriorly rounded
- forewing forewing:
the front wing attached to the middle thoracic segment
prestigma three times or more as long as the pterostigma (Smith-Pardo et al. 2020)(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020):
Smith-Pardo A., JM Carpenter amp; LS Kimsey. 2020. The diversity of hornets in the genus Vespa , their importance and interceptions in the United States. Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3): 1ndash;27.
To identify the species:
- clypeus clypeus:
sutures
yellow
- metasomal tergaterga:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.
1-5 usually with narrow apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
yellow bandband:
usually referring to bands of hair or bands of color that traverse across an abdominal segment
(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020)(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020):
Smith-Pardo A., JM Carpenter amp; LS Kimsey. 2020. The diversity of hornets in the genus Vespa , their importance and interceptions in the United States. Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3): 1ndash;27.
- inner margin of the gonostipes in dorsaldorsal:
the top surface of a structure
aspect projecting (Archer 2015)(Archer 2015):
Bequaert J. 1936. The common Oriental hornets, Vespa tropica and Vespa affinis , and their color forms. Treubia 15 (4): 329ndash;351.
Biology/Life cycle
Vespa luctuosa nests are usually found in forested areas attached to the branches of trees and occasionally bushes. The nests are generally spherical at first, but over time they become more vertically elongate and lack a roof cone (Starr and Jacobson 1990; Archer 1999). Males and queens have been found throughout the year. This suggests that colonies may be asynchronous in their development (Archer 1999)(Archer 1999):
Archer ME. 1999. Taxonomy, distribution, and nesting biology of Vespa binghami, V. basalis, V. variabilis, V. fervida, V. luctuosa, V. multimaculata, and V. bellicose (Hym., Vespinae). Entomologistrsquo;s Monthly Magazine 135: 43ndash;50.. This hornet is known for its potent venom, which has one of the highest recorded toxicities of any insect venom (Schmidt et al. 1986)(Schmidt et al. 1986):
Schmidt JO, S Yamane, M Matsuura, amp; CK Starr. 1986. Hornet venoms: lethalities and lethal capacities. Toxicon 24 (9): 950ndash;954.. Although this species is undoubtedly predatory, its food preferences have not been recorded.
May be confused with
Vespa affinis
- V. luctuosa apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
margin of seventh metasomal sternumsternum:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment, like S1, S2, etc.
with two shallow emarginations. V. affinis apicalapical:
near or at the apex or end of any structure
margin of seventh metasomal sternumsternum:
the plates on the underside of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a specific segment, like S1, S2, etc.
with one emargination (Archer 2015)(Archer 2015):
Bequaert J. 1936. The common Oriental hornets, Vespa tropica and Vespa affinis , and their color forms. Treubia 15 (4): 329ndash;351.
Vespa fervida
- V. fervida has the clypeusclypeus:
sutures
mostly black (Smith-Pardo et al. 2020)(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020):
Smith-Pardo A., JM Carpenter amp; LS Kimsey. 2020. The diversity of hornets in the genus Vespa , their importance and interceptions in the United States. Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3): 1ndash;27.
Vespa philippinensis
- V. philippinensis punctures on sides of metasomal tergumtergum:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.
2 small and separated by more than one puncture diameter
- Vespa luctuosa punctures on sides of tergumtergum:
the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.
2 large and separated by less than one puncture diameter (Smith-Pardo et al. 2020)(Smith-Pardo et al. 2020):
Smith-Pardo A., JM Carpenter amp; LS Kimsey. 2020. The diversity of hornets in the genus Vespa , their importance and interceptions in the United States. Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (3): 1ndash;27.
Vespa velutina group
- V. luctuosa mid-cranial sulcus not visible just above clypeus
- V. luctuosa has no median patch (Kojima and Yamane 1980)(Kojima and Yamane 1980):
Kojima JI amp; S Yamane. 1980. biological notes on Vespa luctuosa luzonensis from Leyte Island, the Philippines, with descriptions of adults and larvae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Insecta Matsumurana 19: 79ndash;87.
Known introductions
none
