Asian Giant Hornet vs Small Scissor Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Asian Giant Hornet Small Scissor Bee
Scientific Name Vespa mandarinia Chelostoma florisomne
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Vespidae Megachilidae
Size 45-55 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Blood Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Asian Giant Hornet

The worlds largest hornet. A single colony can kill an entire hive of 30,000 honey bees in just a few hours. Their venom destroys red blood cells and can cause organ failure.

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Did You Know?

Asian giant hornets can decapitate 40 honey bees per minute. Japanese honey bees defend themselves by swarming a hornet and vibrating to raise temperature to 47°C — killing it with heat.

Small Scissor Bee

A slender black solitary bee that nests in beetle borings in dead wood. It is a specialist pollinator of buttercups.

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Did You Know?

Males often sleep inside buttercup flowers at night, clinging to the petals as they close.