# Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H right?



## HiveAtYourHome (Aug 16, 2011)

*Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H right?*

My understanding is that in the 19th century European Hornets (Vespa crabro) were accidentally brought here and those are our biggest hornet, but Japanese Hornets/Vespa mandarinia japonica (the huge bee killers) are NOT in the USA, nor any of the Asian Hornet subspecies of Vespa mandarinia.

So this woman whose husband died while mowing his lawn last month in North Carolina was mistaken in calling them Japanese hornets (or "Japanese" is the local NC term for European hornets (crabro))???

Or do we now have them in NC??? (I doubt but want to hear confirmation by someone who knows.)

I heard that an Asian wasp species is a new arrival here and that was confused for Japanese Hornets/Vespa mandarinia japonica (not by size or bee killing just that its Asian.)

I'm pretty sure people have been watching to much nature shows and love to think what they see is a bird sized hornet ready to come eat all their bees so I think she was using the non-proper name for the species, but as she recently lost her husband I didn't want to point it out to her. 
Thanks


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

Almost sounds goofy to me.


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## WillT (Jan 20, 2012)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

We have _Sphecius speciosus_ in NC which are much larger than most _Vespa crabro_. They will make a meal of honey bees but they are nothing like the ones from Asia that target honey bee colonies. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus


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## tim adams (Feb 18, 2010)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

We had a species of Asian Hornet move in to North Alabama in the mid to late 80's. I never saw them messing with my bees but they were mean and packed a BAD sting. 
Tim Adams


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*



tim adams said:


> *Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC *


Can I borrow them to work on my ex-wife. Will they still work if she lives in MD?


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## Fishman43 (Sep 26, 2011)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

Special delivery for Mrs. SNL...


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## zacwolf (Aug 14, 2013)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*



HiveAtYourHome said:


> Or do we now have them in NC??? (I doubt but want to hear confirmation by someone who knows.)Thanks


I live in Durham, NC. I'm trying to get confirmation, but so far I have seen three that look exactly like these:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespa_simillima

It is not the Japanese Giant Hornet, but it appears to be Vespa Simillima to me!

I have a large wooded area behind my home, and my bees are right on the edge of it, so I'm concerned about these possible new neighbors...


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

I have taken multiple stings (6-8) from the European Hornet and it is *no joke*.


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## zacwolf (Aug 14, 2013)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

After confirmation, these I have seen are in fact:

Vespa crabro, European hornet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hornet 

{phew}


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## Slow Modem (Oct 6, 2011)

*Re: Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H rig*

There is disagreement around here as to what types of hornets we have. Bowater was a paper mill company that owned thousands of acres of pine trees to make the paper. The pine beetle was killing the pine trees and the rumor is that Bowater brought in Japanese hornets to combat the beetles. I don't know if there's any truth to that rumor or not. But a lot of people around here swear by it. I googled it and found both yes, know, and I don't know answers. So who knows. :scratch:


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