There has been a few posts lately on the groups wondering about the dangers of the Asian Hornet, which is certainly a nasty piece of work but people are getting this terror confused with other less worrying creatures
The Asian Hornet.. So here is his/her profile…
Asian hornet (Vespa velutina)
Queens are up to 3cm (1.2in) in length, while workers are up to 2.5cm (1in).
The hornets have a dark brown or black velvety body, bordered with a fine yellow band.
There is only one band on the hornet’s abdomen, with the fourth abdominal segment almost entirely yellow or orange.
They have brown legs with yellow ends.And they have a black head with an orange-yellow face. The picture below shows the difference between the Asian wasp and others.
There have been reports that these insects are killers.. well yes they certainly can be as this hornet, unlike other wasps & bees, does NOT lose its very large stinger, and thus, can sting multiple times. The pain is likened to a red-hot nail going through ones skin.
Whilst their sting is obviously very nasty and Asian wasps can kill….. usually this is only when people are allergic to stings and/or in ill health. But the best thing to do after a sting by this particular devil is as follows:-
If the person stung is having an allergic reaction, call the Emergency Services (112) If the victim is having a bad reaction, they may be experiencing anaphylaxis. Call for immediate emergency medical assistance if you notice the following symptoms:[2]
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Tightness in the throat
- Trouble speaking
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fast heartbeat or pulse
- Skin that severely itches, tingles, swells, or turns red
- Anxiety or dizziness
- Loss of consciousness
- If an anaphylaxis action plan has been established and an Epipen is available, don’t wait; inject it. Do not worry about harming the other person. The less time wasted, the better.
Click here for a guide to what to do if you have been stung by any “normal” wasp of hornet.
Their nests look like this. IF YOU SEE ONE, CALL 112 AND THE EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL REMOVE IT.
Finally… This creature is a Mammouth Wasp and often gets confused with the hornet but this bug is completely harmess.
