Giant hornets whose venom can melt human flesh sound like they would make for a great horror movie. The only problem is that they are not fiction….they are real! Introducing the Japanese Giant Hornet.
The Japanese Giant Hornet can get up to a couple of inches long, with a wingspan of up to a few inches. Their stinger can get up to about a 1/4 of an inch long. Ouch!!
As scary as they sound, these hornets are actually considered beneficial, since they feed on a large variety of insects, including crop pests. They are mostly non-aggressive, unless they feel threatened. If they do feel threatened, it’s probably important to know that some of these hornets can fly over 60 miles per day, and at speeds of up to 25 mph. Their stings can cause anaphylactic shock and renal failure. Three to four dozen people die in Japan each year after being stung by the Japanese Giant Hornet.
So far, these giant hornets are known to only be in and around the region surrounding Japan. They are most commonly found in the more rural areas where they can find plenty of trees to nest in. Like any other insect though, these giant hornets will probably eventually adapt to other climates, migrating to other parts of the world.
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