Japanese Giant Hornet vs Minmin Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Giant Hornet Minmin Cicada
Scientific Name Vespa mandarinia japonica Hyalessa maculaticollis
Order Hymenoptera Hemiptera
Family Vespidae Cicadidae
Size 35-55 mm 33-38 mm
Habitat Forests Parks
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Asia Japan, Korea, Eastern China
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Giant Hornet

The largest hornet in the world, capable of destroying an entire honey bee colony in hours. A small group of 30 hornets can massacre 30,000 bees.

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Did You Know?

Japanese honey bees defend against these hornets by swarming a scout and vibrating their muscles to cook it alive at 46°C.

Minmin Cicada

A Japanese cicada known as 'minminzemi' with a green and black body and transparent wings. Its distinctive 'min-min-min' call is one of the iconic sounds of Japanese summer.

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Did You Know?

Its call is so culturally significant in Japan that it is frequently used as a sound effect in anime and films to instantly establish a summer setting.