War is not just a human phenomenon. Other species–from animals to insects–engage in conflicts with one another. In the natural world, it’s a game of survival, a matter of life and death. The war between two insect groups–the Japanese Giant Hornets and the Japanese Honey Bees–that has been going on for millions of years is a testimony to this fact.
The Japanese Giant Hornets (Vespa Mandarinia japonica), found in the forests of Japanese islands, are a sub-species of the world’s largest Hornet, the Asian Giant Hornet. The Japanese call them ōsuzumebachi, meaning the ‘great sparrow bees.’
They are giant insects–grow up to two inches long and have a three-inch wingspan–with a stinger measuring 0.25 inches. This makes them ferocious predators. Using strong mandibles, they dismember and segment the prey, hack out their protein-rich parts–such as the wing muscles–and take them to the nest to feed the larvae.
The Japanese farmers consider them to be beneficial insects as they feed on farm pests. However, they can be deadly. Their sting is excruciating; it delivers sizeable portions of neurotoxins, breaks down the flesh, and leads to an anaphylactic reaction or cardiac arrest. In 2013, the Chinese Hornets (a sub-species), killed 42 people and injured 1700 people in China, in just three months. But the Hornets attack humans only when they are provoked–we are not their prey.
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