Vespa mandarinia

Taxonomy

Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Vespidae Laicharting, 1781
Subfamily:  Vespinae Laicharting, 1781
Genus: Vespa Linnaeus, 1758
Species: Vespa mandarinia Smith, 1852
Common names: Asian giant hornet, northern giant hornet

Background

Vespa mandarinia is the largest bodied species of Vespa, with queens up to 1.75 inches (4.5 cm) in length, with a stinger about ¼ inch (6 mm) long. This hornet builds its nests in existing cavities and feeds on large-bodied insects including honeybees. In parts of South Asia, V. mandarinia larvaelarvae:
active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa
, pupaepupae:
an inactive immature stage in insects between larva and adult
, and adults are considered a delicacy. Vespa mandariniaand V. soror belong to the V. mandarinia group which is widespread in Southeast Asia (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..

Distribution

Vespa mandarinia is native to India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Malaya, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, eastern Russia, Korea, and Japan. Nests have been found in the Pacific Northwest of the United States but the species is not thought to be established (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:

• in side view the genal width of head greater than 1.8 times the eye width in the female and 1.4 times in the male
• in dorsaldorsal:
  the top surface of a structure
  view the distance between the posterior ocelliocelli:
  single facet light reception organs; on the top of the adult head
  less than 0.16 the distance from the posterior ocelliocelli:
  single facet light reception organs; on the top of the adult head
  to the back of the head in females and 0.2 in males (Archer 1995)(Archer 1995):
  Archer ME. 1995. Taxonomy, distribution, and nesting biology of the Vespa mandarinia group (Hym., Vespinae). Entomologistrsquo;s Monthly Magazine 131: 47ndash;53.
• metasomal tergaterga:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.
  3–5 in the female and 3–6 in the male with either a narrow or broad apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  orange band
• apical apical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  tergum in female and male largely orange (Archer 1995)(Archer 1995):
  Archer ME. 1995. Taxonomy, distribution, and nesting biology of the Vespa mandarinia group (Hym., Vespinae). Entomologistrsquo;s Monthly Magazine 131: 47ndash;53.

Biology/Life cycle

The vast majority of nests are built underground in preexisting cavities, such as rodent burrows or rotten tree roots. Nests consist of a series of up to 12 brood combs, with as many as 3,000 cells constructed of paper (plant fibers mixed with saliva) attached by a paper pedicelpedicel:
the second segment of the antennae, between the scape and flagellum
. Exposed areas are covered by a paper envelope.

Vespa mandarinia colonies are annual. In the fall, new queens and males are produced and mate. The males die and the new queens go into a hibernation cycle during the winter months. In the spring, these new queens disperse and begin building colonies. Colonies generally reach their maximum size in late summer or early fall when they begin producing males and new queens (Archer 1995)(Archer 1995):
Archer ME. 1995. Taxonomy, distribution, and nesting biology of the Vespa mandarinia group (Hym., Vespinae). Entomologistrsquo;s Monthly Magazine 131: 47ndash;53..

Vespa mandarinia needs protein for its larvaelarvae:
active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa
and preys on large-bodied insects. It will also attack the colonies of other social insects like honeybees and paper wasps to collect the larvaelarvae:
active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa
and colony members for food for its own larvaelarvae:
active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa
. Vespa mandarinia will also sometimes attack conspecific colonies. Adults only feed on nectar or other sugar sources, including honey in honeybee colonies.

May be confused with

Vespa soror

• V. soror metasomal tergaterga:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.
  3–6 in the female and 3–7 in the male black, at most with a narrow apicalapical:
  near or at the apex or end of any structure
  orange bandband:
  usually referring to bands of hair or bands of color that traverse across an abdominal segment
  on the third gastral tergumtergum:
  the segments on the top side of the abdomen, often abbreviated when referring to a speciifc segment, such as T1, T2, etc.
  (Archer 1995)(Archer 1995):
  Archer ME. 1995. Taxonomy, distribution, and nesting biology of the Vespa mandarinia group (Hym., Vespinae). Entomologistrsquo;s Monthly Magazine 131: 47ndash;53.

Known introductions

Vespa mandarinia was introduced into the region around Vancouver, WA where colonies were discovered. However, there is no evidence that colonies have become established.