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Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarina)

Zhao Li2018

Insect Museum of West China

Insect Museum of West China
Chengdu, China

This species, also known as yak-killer hornet, is a very ferocious large wasp that preys on a variety of insects. It is of great value in biological control yet also feeds on ripe fruits. There are currently five subspecies of it, distributing in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, India, Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Korea, Nepal and other places. Body length according to records: queen bee 40-55 mm (wingspan up to 76 mm), male bee 30-45 mm, worker bee 27-50 mm. In 2018, a worker wasp more than 6 mm long was founded in Yunnan, China. It is the largest individual ever found in the world among more than 5,000 wasp species.

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  • Title: Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarina)
  • Creator: Zhao Li
  • Date Created: 2018
  • Type: specimen
  • Location: Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
Insect Museum of West China

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