Japanese Giant Hornet vs Silvius Horse Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Giant Hornet Silvius Horse Fly
Scientific Name Vespa mandarinia japonica Silvius alpinus
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Vespidae Tabanidae
Size 35-55 mm 8-11 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Asia Central and Southern 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.

Silvius Horse Fly

A small brownish horse fly found in mountain forests and alpine meadows. It is one of the few horse flies adapted to high-altitude habitats.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few horse fly species that thrives at altitudes above 1500 meters.