Читать книгу The World's Most Dangerous Animals - Kevin Baker Baker - Страница 5

The world’s largest hornet. Image courtesy of Hometboy1970.

Imagine if there were a 3 inch long wasp with a quarter inch long stinger. Well, this insect is real . . .

A simple honey bee is no real concern. Even the more sinister wasp hovering around your ice-cream is not really that much of a threat. For the most part, these critters will not bother people if they are left alone. With honey bees, although painful, their stingers do more damage to the bee than to their victims. Then there is the Asian giant hornet: a fearsome insect that most people can only imagine in their worst nightmares.

While the average wasp is around ¾ of an inch in length, the Asian giant hornet can reach upwards of three inches in length. That is roughly the size of an adult’s thumb. Their anatomy is very different to other hornets; their heads are orange and wider than normal, their eyes and antennae are a dark brown colour and their mandibles are black, while the rest of their body is mostly black and golden. Additionally, unlike other hornets, they do not have barbed stingers. This means that the stinger will not detach itself and remains on the body of the hornet after it has been used. Because of this, the Asian giant hornet can sting its victims repeatedly.

The stinger is about a ¼ of an inch long and the venom of this hornet contains eight different chemicals. Each of these chemicals has a specific purpose, ranging from causing tissue degeneration, breathing difficulties and even attracting other hornets to the victim. The venom is so powerful that even those who are not allergic to the venom can die if stung enough times. The stings can also cause renal failure. In China, it is recommended that anyone stung more than 10 times should seek medical help, and emergency treatment should be found if stung more than 30 times. It is estimated that roughly 40 people die every year as a result of Asian hornet stings in Japan alone.

The Asian hornet is extremely territorial. This means that they will attack anything that infringes upon their territory. They will also target honeybee larvae in order to provide food for their own larvae. These giant hornets present a deadly threat to bees; a single Asian hornet can kill up to 40 honeybees per minute due to their deadly mandibles that can strike quickly. Honeybees are essentially defenceless against these attacks as their stingers are completely ineffective against this larger, more armoured insect. A handful of Asian hornets can decimate a hive of tens of thousands of bees in only a few hours. These hornets are relentless hunters. They have been known to fly over 60 miles to chase their prey, travelling at speeds of up to 25mph.

As their name suggests, the Asian giant hornet is found mostly in Eastern Asia, namely Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Indochina, China, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. They are mostly common in the mountains of Japan and prefer higher altitude forests in temperate or tropical areas. However, they have even been seen in the United States and England, most likely due to recent climate change.

These insects are making their way around the world, courtesy of global warming. They are so big that it is hard to believe that they exist, except for popping up in sci-fi or horror movies.

In some parts of the world, the Asian giant hornet, the largest hornet in the world, is commonly consumed as part of a healthy diet by some insect devouring individuals. The most popular cooking methods are deep fried or served as sashimi. Bon appetit!