Bug FAQOriental Hornet
Vespa orientalis · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Vespidae
Source: Wikipedia
They build underground nests and live in seasonal colonies headed by a queen. They feed on nectar, fruit, and hunt insects, especially honey bees, to supply protein for their young.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The hornet is reddish-brown with thick yellow bands on its abdomen and yellow patches between the eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults are 25 to 35 mm long and have two pairs of wings. Workers and drones are smaller than the queen.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are a major pest to honey bees, raiding hives for honey and protein.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
If provoked they can bite with strong jaws. Their sting is quite painful and can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species lives in seasonal colonies with a caste system dominated by a queen. Nests are built underground.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults drink nectar and fruit juices. They hunt insects and other animal protein to feed their larvae.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Colonies are seasonal and organized around a queen. Females have a tube-shaped ovipositor for laying eggs.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Colonies are seasonal and centered on a queen.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Isolated populations have been introduced to Mexico and Chile by humans.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Males can be told apart from workers by the number of antenna segments.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Do Oriental hornets bite?
Yes, they can bite with strong jaws if they feel threatened.
Source: Wikipedia
Are Oriental hornet stings dangerous?
The sting is painful and may cause allergic reactions in some people.
Source: Wikipedia
What insects do Oriental hornets attack?
They frequently raid honey-bee colonies to steal honey and larvae.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Vespidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_hornet
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.