Japanese Giant Hornet vs Yellow-headed Scoliid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Giant Hornet Yellow-headed Scoliid
Scientific Name Vespa mandarinia japonica Campsomeriella annulata
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Vespidae Scoliidae
Size 35-55 mm 20-30 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Parasitoids
Regions Asia South Asia, Southeast Asia
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.

💡

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.

Yellow-headed Scoliid

A large dark wasp with prominent yellow head markings and smoky wings. It is a parasitoid of large scarab beetle grubs in tropical Asian soils.

💡

Did You Know?

It has been used in biological control programs against coconut rhinoceros beetles threatening palm plantations.