Horse Fly vs Asian Giant Hornet

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Horse Fly Asian Giant Hornet
Scientific Name Tabanus bovinus Vespa mandarinia
Order Diptera Hymenoptera
Family Tabanidae Vespidae
Size 20-25 mm 45-55 mm
Habitat Wetlands Forests
Diet Blood Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Horse Fly

A large, stout fly with huge iridescent compound eyes that display rainbow patterns. Only females bite, using scissor-like mouthparts to slash skin and lap up blood.

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Did You Know?

Horse fly eyes display stunning iridescent bands of color created by structural interference patterns, and scientists have used their anti-reflective eye structure to design better solar panels.

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.