Japanese Giant Hornet vs Nomada Cuckoo Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Giant Hornet Nomada Cuckoo Bee
Scientific Name Vespa mandarinia japonica Nomada marshamella
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Vespidae Apidae
Size 35-55 mm 9-12mm
Habitat Forests Deserts & Drylands
Diet Sap Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Asia Europe
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.

Nomada Cuckoo Bee

A wasp-like cuckoo bee with red and black markings that sneaks into andrena bee nests to lay its eggs.

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Did You Know?

Mimics a wasp in appearance and behavior to avoid detection while sneaking into the nests of mining bees.