Asian/asiatic giant hornets

[gavin]

Piece on the Beeb the other day:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/23984236

Tim sounds a bit shaky on asian hornet biology so here's a link in case he's watching. Initially its the larvae they're after, but maybe it is different for dispersing adults looking for pastures new. Also it isn't the loss of stings that does for the defending honeybees but the strength of the asian hornet jaws. As the honeybees struggle to find soft spots on the hornets I doubt that many of them lose their stings.

http://eol.org/pages/259331/details

G.

[chris]

Hi Gavin. I can't watch videos,but the title has me puzzled. Is this a different species (vespa mandarinia)that is "heading for Britain", or is it still good old vespa vélutina ?
Also, I thought the defense strategy of apis cerana was to cause the hornet to overheat rather than to suffocate it.????

[Silvbee]

Horrendous knowledge of hornet and, to a lesser extent honey bee biology here. Honeybees have a barbed sting yes, but anyone who's watched bees attacking wasps in the front of a hive knows they can sting other inverts multiple times. Its only mammals and a lesser extent birds that the sting cant be removed.

[Bumble]

Maybe I've seen a different species, but all the hornets I've seen have been yellow and brown stripes, not yellow and black.