The Asian Giant Hornet, scientifically known as Vespa mandarinia, is the world’s largest hornet species and is native to East Asia. Its impressive physical dimensions led to the common nickname “murder hornet.” This article details the physical dimensions and appearance of the adult insect, focusing on the size differences found within its colony.
Defining the Physical Scale
The average worker Asian Giant Hornet has a body length ranging from 25 to 45 millimeters (approximately 1 to 1.77 inches). Its body width can be up to 13 millimeters, giving the insect substantial bulk.
The wingspan typically measures between 70 and 76 millimeters, or nearly three inches across. Its head is distinctly large and broad, often described as an orange or yellow-orange color.
The massive head is a key visual marker, contrasting sharply with the dark brown or black thorax. This large head is equipped with powerful orange mandibles, which are used to process prey. The stinger itself measures about 6 millimeters, or a quarter of an inch.
Size Variation Among Colony Members
Not every individual within an Asian Giant Hornet colony shares the same body dimensions, as there are distinct size differences between the castes and sexes. The largest members are the queens, which are the colony founders and reproductive females. A queen’s body length can exceed 45 millimeters and often reaches up to 50 millimeters, or two inches.
This means a queen can be noticeably larger than the largest workers, sometimes approaching the two-inch mark. Workers, which are non-reproductive females, fall into the 25 to 45-millimeter range. Worker size can also vary throughout the season, with later-emerging workers tending to be larger.
The males, or drones, are generally smaller than the workers. Males also lack the stinger found on the females and have one more antennal segment than the queens and workers. In the late summer and fall, the largest workers and the new queens can sometimes have overlapping sizes, making it difficult to differentiate them based on length alone.
Distinguishing Them From Common Wasps and Hornets
The sheer physical scale of Vespa mandarinia is the primary factor that sets it apart from other common North American wasps and hornets. Most native species are dramatically smaller, making the Asian Giant Hornet’s size a unique identifier. For example, the common Bald-faced Hornet, a native species, typically measures only 12 to 20 millimeters in length, less than half the size of the largest Vespa mandarinia workers.
Similarly, the European Hornet, which is the only other true hornet species established in North America, is usually about 25 millimeters long. While 25 millimeters is the smaller end of the Asian Giant Hornet’s worker size range, the Asian Giant Hornet is also noticeably bulkier in appearance. Another large insect, the Cicada Killer Wasp, can reach up to 1.5 inches, but the Asian Giant Hornet queens still exceed this length.
Beyond length, the large, striking orange or yellow-orange head of Vespa mandarinia is a distinguishing feature that contributes to its overall imposing size. The color pattern of the abdomen, which consists of alternating bands of dark brown or black and yellow-orange, is also part of its recognizable appearance. The massive size and distinctive head color provide observers with the clearest visual cues for identification.