Southern giant hornet

When hornets raid a honeybee colony, they kill the adult guards and carry away the bodies and the young, which can destroy the whole colony.1

Some honeybees in Vietnam and other countries in Asia smear animal droppings around their hive entrances. Hornets spent less than half the time at entrances once they had spotted these, and 94% less time chewing their way in.1

Hornets rub their abdomens on the hive and nearby plants while they attack. This may be a signal that calls other hornets to join in.1

A single queen was found at Vancouver Harbor, Canada, in May 2019. It is believed to have arrived with shipping and not to be part of a wider population in North America.1

In 2022 and 2023, researchers found four workers in northern Spain. This made Spain the second place outside its range where the hornet has been found.1