What does a hornet eat, depending on its species?

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We are surrounded by many interesting insects, among which the hornet .
These creatures have a very bright appearance, are quite large in size, and are excellent hunters of small pests. People don't hold hornets in high esteem. This is not surprising, because they can sting painfully, and their poison in large quantities can even lead to death. However, animals pose a great danger only in exceptional cases; a lethal dose can only be obtained with multiple bites. Otherwise, the hornet is a very interesting, useful insect. It's worth learning more about him!

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Hornet

A large wasp whose flight is accompanied by a loud buzzing sound is a hornet. It is a prominent representative of the family of social wasps, often called the hornet wasp. In Latin, the name of the species sounds like “Vespa”. It is translated into Russian by the word “wasp”. Initially, all social wasps were classified in the genus Vespa. However, in the nineteenth century it was divided into two families. Hornets are still Vespa and wasps are still Vespula (little wasp).

Video: Hornet

The origin of the Russian name “hornet” is no less interesting. The root of this word, in turn, means head, horns. For this reason, scientists concluded that the hornet wasp received its name due to the anatomical features of the structure of the head. The animal has an enlarged crown and movable antennae.

To date, about twenty species of hornet wasps have been recorded. Vespa mandarinia is recognized as the largest species. Adult Vespa mandarinia can reach five and a half centimeters in length.

Among the various types of hornets, we can separately highlight the most interesting of them:

• black hornet. This is a little-known, rare species of social wasp. Listed in the Red Book due to rapid decline in population numbers. It has the characteristic color of a predator - yellow stripes on a black back;
• Asiatic. Quite a large species with a large wingspan. Lives in Asian territory. It carries a certain danger for humans. Its bite is highly toxic;
• Philippine. It is distinguished by its solid black color and produces dangerous poison. Lives exclusively in the Philippine Islands;
• Oriental. Of all the representatives of the genus, it has the brightest colors. Its belly is decorated with a wide yellow stripe, its body and wings are painted bright red. The species tolerates heat remarkably well and lives in steppes and even deserts.

About food

They prefer sweet foods; hornets' favorites are slightly spoiled fruits and tree sap.

They feed on insects, but not for the sake of saturation, but in order to feed their larvae with crushed prey.

Hornets are famous for their attacks on apiaries, they fly towards the sweet aroma of honey, and are also capable of destroying all the bees.

There are hornets that prefer dead insects and food scraps that have begun to emit a strong aroma.

Appearance and features

Photo: Hornet insect

The average size of these insects is from 1.8 to 3.5 centimeters. Only some species can reach a length of five and a half centimeters. Hornets are different from other members of their family. They have larger dimensions, increased head sizes, and a wide crown. These insects have compound and simple eyes. The color of the head depends on the type of hornet. It can be orange, red with a brown tint, black, yellow.

Adult individuals are distinguished by rather large, strong mandibles. They are colored yellow, brown or black. The insect's head has brown-black antennae. Their number depends on gender. The abdomen of such a wasp is round, with a clearly defined waist. There is a sting at the end of the belly. The sting, if the hornet is calm, is almost invisible. It is pulled into the body. At the beginning of the sting there is a special reservoir. It contains poison.

Hornet wasps have the ability to sting repeatedly. Their sting is smooth and straight. It does not have serrations, unlike the bee one. For this reason, when stung, the animal does not harm itself.

The body color of this type of wasp is similar to others - in most hornets it is black and yellow. The only difference is that the stripes alternate less clearly. However, there are varieties whose color is completely different from their relatives. For example, the variable hornet has a body with black and brown stripes.

Some hornet wasps have a fairly wide yellow or white stripe on their belly. The entire body is covered with small hairs. They grow chaotically and have different sizes. Hornets have three pairs of legs. They are either brown or yellow.

Are they dangerous to humans?

It cannot be said that these insects are enemies of humans, but in some cases they are truly dangerous. The fact is that these individuals can very quickly gather in groups, this is the main danger.

When one insect senses danger, it signals about it and relatives come to the rescue and attack the offender. Therefore, the first thing you need to remember is not to touch or unnecessarily offend these insects.

Speaking about the danger of a bite, it is worth understanding that if the body can tolerate one bite quite normally and no negative reaction may occur, then all subsequent bites maximally increase the risk of developing complications. After all, the body does not develop immunity to poison; on the contrary, the negative impact intensifies.

Where does the hornet live?

Photo: Asian hornet

Representatives of this genus are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. Their habitat depends entirely on the characteristics of the species. So, the most popular is the common hornet. This is the only species that lives in large numbers in Ukraine, Russia, and North America. In Russia, this wasp is represented more in the European part of the territory. You won't find it in the far north. The common hornet also lives in Japan, Korea, and China. Small populations of the animal can be found in Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

North America is not the natural habitat of the common hornet. The insect was brought there quite by accident back in the nineteenth century.

The Asian hornet lives in most of the territory of Asia, in the Jewish Autonomous Region, in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories. It is large in size; in Japan this insect is called the “sparrow bee”. Also in tropical Asia, as in France and Spain, Asian predatory wasps are common. They build their “houses” on tree branches, feed and hunt bees.

The eastern hornet wasp chooses semi-dry subtropical areas for living. It can be found in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Italy, Romania, Greece, North Africa, and other European and Asian regions. On the vast territory of the Russian Federation, scientists have noticed eight species of hornets. The common oriental hornet lives in the European part of the country. The other six species of insects live in the south of the Far East.

About food

They prefer sweet foods; hornets' favorites are slightly spoiled fruits and tree sap.

They feed on insects, but not for the sake of saturation, but in order to feed their larvae with crushed prey.

Hornets are famous for their attacks on apiaries, they fly towards the sweet aroma of honey, and are also capable of destroying all the bees.

There are hornets that prefer dead insects and food scraps that have begun to emit a strong aroma.

What does a hornet eat?

Photo: Hornet in flight

The hornet is an amazing creature. It is capable of feeding on both plant and animal matter. In most varieties of such wasps, the diet consists of products familiar to the family: nectar, plant foods with a high sugar content. They are often spotted on rotting fruit, near honey, and on trees with sap flowing from the bark. Hornets constantly fly into orchards. There they feast on sweet overripe fruits. It is at this moment that the animal can sting a person who is reaching for the fruit.

Despite the fact that sweet nectar, fruits, and plant foods can completely satisfy the needs of the hornets’ body, these insects can instantly turn into excellent hunters. They kill other small insects with the help of powerful jaws and stings. Their victims include locusts, other types of wasps, bees, grasshoppers, butterflies, and spiders. Predatory varieties of hornets are capable of destroying about five hundred colonies of bees and wasps in their lifetime.

The most surprising fact is that the hornets themselves rarely consume killed insects for their own food. The animal thoroughly chews its prey until it becomes a uniform suspension. Adults bring this suspension to the nests and give it to the voracious larvae. Considering that the larvae eat small pests, the hornet can be called a beneficial insect.

Do they bite or sting?

Thanks to their strong jaws, they can bite through the skin very deeply; the wounds of such bites take a very long time to heal, about a week. When attacking people, they often use a sting, the punctures resemble a black dot, but they can also use their jaws. The poison is toxic to the body and acts like a poison, in addition to very painful sensations, the danger is that it is impossible to predict the result of the attack, since the body’s reaction is unpredictable.

These insects are a big concern for children, the elderly and allergy sufferers. Swelling and inflammation of the skin immediately appear, but suppuration can also form. The first signs of poisoning are dizziness and nausea.

They are most dangerous for people who have allergic reactions. The fact is that in this case the body copes very poorly with the poison and cannot cope with the negative impact. The deterioration of a person’s condition can last from several hours to several days. Most often there is severe swelling, difficulty breathing, and sometimes people lose consciousness.

The poison contains histamine, which is the cause of severe reactions in the body. This substance causes unexpected reactions, from deterioration of well-being to anaphylactic shock. There have been cases of death, but more often this is the result of neglect of medical care.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Hornet Red Book

Hornet wasps lead a social lifestyle. They gather in flocks and build nests. The number of one flock can reach hundreds of individuals. Hornet nests are distinguished by their special elegance and grace. These insects are one of the best builders. The founder of the nest is always the female that has survived the winter. With the onset of warmth, the female begins to search for a suitable place. Usually this place becomes an abandoned hollow in a tree, the attic of a residential building, or a crack in the rock.

The female begins building a nest from rotting wood and old bark. In this nest she establishes her colony. The first offspring of the female become worker wasps. They take over all responsibilities for construction, protecting the house, and feeding the offspring. Working hornets spend the whole day searching for food: nectar, plants, small insects. The lifestyle of hornets is predominantly diurnal.

These insects have a fairly high level of development. All representatives of the genus are able to distinguish each other's status. They do this by smell and other characteristics of adults.

The character of hornets is not warlike, they are not annoying. They will not climb into a jar of jam, and will not bother you with their presence near a feast with sweets and fruits. Hornets prefer to avoid the company of people, although they often build their nests in the attics of residential buildings. Despite this, hornet attacks on people are not that rare. And such a bite may not always go unnoticed. Severe allergic reactions occur. This is due to the high proportion of histamine in the venom of these insects.

Building a nest

Individuals that survived the cold winter become nest founders when spring arrives. Over time, the females find a safe area high in the mountain or inside a tree. After this, the arrangement of your place begins. They use wood and crusty formations, building their homes in numerous steps. The wood is processed by insects, turning into a papyrus product.

This multi-level house is similar to a product made from thin napkins. Such a structure can be found in an old tree, a bird house, or a barn. The color of the hive may also differ. Brown stripes can be combined with bright shades. Some hives are oval in shape, some are more round. The average size of cocoons is 700*400 millimeters.

People often compare a hornet’s home to a blotter’s nest, since there are similarities to paper making. The main initial product used during construction is thin tree coverings, branches of young trees, which are well treated with insect saliva. Also, saliva is a fastening material, which dries and hardens after application. As a result, rough walls with a rough surface are formed.

The poor appearance of the cocoon can be explained by the fact that rotten wood is used. Some members of the wasp family build a burrow with an intricate labyrinth. Moreover, they can be located deep underground, in a forgotten animal burrow. The depth of the hole can reach 60 meters.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Hornet

Hornet wasps are quite prolific insects. However, not all females are fertile. Uteruses are capable of reproducing offspring. They are usually large in size. It is the females who become the founders of the hornet family; they begin the construction of the house (nest). Before laying eggs, the queen, with the onset of the first heat, searches for a safe, convenient place to build a house. She lays eggs after building the first few hundred.

Further, her responsibilities include searching for food and caring for future offspring. It takes some time for the eggs to mature. First, larvae emerge from them, then adults. When new members of the community become like adult hornets, they take over all the responsibilities of their parent. The queen continues to lay eggs, and the worker wasps get food, guard the house, complete its construction, and care for the larvae.

After four weeks, new hornets emerge from the larvae. They usually kill the queen due to her inability to reproduce any more. Some individuals simply kick her out of the nest. Representatives of the genus living in the European part do not live long. Their total lifespan is only a few months. Only queens have a long life expectancy. They are able to spend the winter in suspended animation.

Hornets can give a good rebuff to their enemy as a whole flock. To protect themselves, they know how to quickly mobilize forces. In case of danger, this animal releases an alarm pheromone. If such a signal is noticed by his relatives, then the attacker faces real danger.

Wintering

The hornet cannot tolerate extreme cold, so they approach the wintering period carefully. Arrangement is carried out on plots, at dachas in places where you can hide. How do they winter and protect themselves from damp weather conditions? Only the queens prepare for hibernation; they also play a leadership role in the family.

It is very important for females to survive the winter, after which they can lead their own colony and leave offspring. For safe hibernation, it is well stocked with nutrients, and it is also important to provide good shelter. Finding a safe place is a crucial moment in the life of all queens.

To ensure ideal conditions, you first need to choose a quiet corner. All options are suitable, with the exception of warm and cozy houses where people live, since warm temperature conditions will affect the early awakening of the female, and as a result, the early construction of the hive. Such events will lead to bad consequences, since she will not be able to find wood for construction, as well as food for her offspring.

Such conditions guarantee the death of the uterus. An important factor for the favorable provision of hibernation is a stable temperature regime without sudden changes. Most of the females die during severe winters, when there is little snow - in such cases they become easy prey for birds.

Natural enemies of hornets

Photo: Hornet insect

Hornets don't have many natural enemies. This is due to the fact that these insects are relatively peaceful. They prefer to run away from the enemy. Only by defending itself can a hornet show itself as a real hunter. Such animals are especially ferocious if someone has coveted their nest, offspring, or uterus. Also, the small number of natural enemies is explained by the toxicity of hornet wasps, as evidenced by their bright color. Other animals try to avoid such insects.

Some of the natural enemies of hornets include:

• small parasites. Nematodes, parasites, and mites slowly but surely kill large hornets and greatly undermine their health;
• some types of birds. Only certain species of birds are able to hunt representatives of social wasps. Most birds simply swallow them whole, preventing the insect from stinging them;
• fungi. The fungus can grow in the hornet's head, leading to a painful and long death;
• other insects. Hornets can be killed by larger wasps and ants. Ants most often feast on insect larvae;
• of people. Despite the benefits they bring, hornets are considered pests. They settle in residential buildings, are quite dangerous to human health and life, and cause significant damage to young trees. For this reason, hornet nests are often destroyed by people.

What to do if a bite occurs?

Often, when people are attacked by these stinging insects, they do not know how to behave correctly and have no idea what first aid to provide. The first thing you need to know is that poison contains substances that act on nerve endings, which is what causes painful sensations; pain itself is not a symptom that destructive reactions are occurring.

Most often, an attack is accompanied by pronounced pain; other reactions are quite difficult to predict due to the individual characteristics of the body. Some experience swelling, while others may develop suppuration.

In difficult situations, a person may experience asphyxia, loss of consciousness, and, unfortunately, even death. Therefore, there is no way to remain idle; first aid should be provided as quickly as possible. Also remember that there is no sting in the wound and there is no need to try to find it there and pull it out.

The following steps should be followed:

• It will not be possible to completely get rid of the poison released into the wound, but it is quite possible to reduce its amount; to do this, you need to suck it out of the wound.
• Next, treat the wound with acetic acid or citric acid.
• Afterwards, prepare a soap solution and treat the wound.
• You also need to wipe the bite area with hydrogen peroxide or an alcohol-containing product.
• To reduce the risk of the poison spreading throughout the body, you need to apply a cold compress with wet sugar.

It is strictly not recommended to drink alcoholic beverages, as this can aggravate the condition and cause severe swelling. It is also worth saying that bites inflicted on the neck and head are very dangerous.

There are many folk recipes that are very effective against hornet bites, for example, you can use a solution of soda, dandelion or plantain juice, or apply onions and garlic.

When allergic reactions occur, the following symptoms appear:

• Increased body temperature.
• Headache.
• Cardiopalmus.
• Abdominal pain.
• Hard breath.

If the above symptoms appear, you should immediately take painkillers that neutralize the effect of histamine. To reduce poisoning you need to drink as much water as possible. Remember that if the measures taken do not improve the condition, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Population and species status

Photo: Hornet animal

The genus of hornets is quite wide. It includes more than twenty different species of insects, differing in color, size, feeding habits and lifestyle. Due to the presence of several species and high fertility, this genus is not endangered and is not listed in the Red Book.

The general population of hornets does not cause concern among scientists. It is normal, causes the least concern, and has a low risk of extinction. However, if we consider the hornet wasp population in terms of individual species, the situation is not so encouraging. Many species are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Books of individual states and cities. The reduction in the number of such animals is due to completely different reasons, which can be found out in the next section of the publication.

The common hornet is an endangered species. Its population in different regions of its natural habitat is very unstable. In particular, this variety is included in the Red Book of the Smolensk region. Also a small representative of the hornet genus is the Dybovsky hornet (black). It is of average size for hornets, has a black-brown color, and is a predator. The black hornet is included in the Red Book of the Chita region. Some species of hornets are included in the Red Books of Germany and many other European countries.

Life expectancy, how many years does he live?

The hornet differs not only in appearance, but also in performing different tasks and functions. In the autumn, the male begins fertilization, after which he dies almost immediately. Working individuals are characterized by a short life expectancy - no more than 21 days.

The maximum lifespan of a female is about a year. Working females and males live short lives, growing by the end of summer and dying by autumn. Those who remain alive can only survive until the first cold days. Queens can withstand cold weather and hibernate for up to one year; by the second winter the life cycle ends.