Invasive Species Giant Japanese Hornet Arival

I spend a lot of time outdoors fishing and hunting. I smoke outside because I don't want my house to smell like cigarettes. I spend a lot of time watching and observing nature. Yesterday I spotted what I believe is the giant Japanese hornet in my yard. These things a quite scary looking. I've reported it on the governments invasive species website. From what I understand this thing could reek major havoc on our agriculture. It was on their watch list but no one has spotted it yet other then me. First we had the emerald ash boror destroying ash trees then the jumping carp now this hornet. For some reason a lot of invasive species land here in Michigan first. Probably because of the great lakes and the shipping industry.

Wow ! Did you get a picture ? What kind of havoc can it create ? ....and did you kill it ?! Not trying to promote killing critters, but if it's really bad for us.....

I saw a hornet in Austin that looked like a freaking crawfish with wings.
It wasn't a Japanese hornet, but it was one scary looking bastard.
It was red and black and I would guess near 3 inches.

Does it look like this:


You'll want to capture a specimen, or at least good photos, to report it. Send one in!

nm...

originally posted by: Meldionne1
Wow ! Did you get a picture ? What kind of havoc can it create ? ....and did you kill it ?! Not trying to promote killing critters, but if it's really bad for us.....

I didn't have time to get the camera. I was standing on the porch and watched it buzz around for about 30 seconds. From what I've read these things kill honey bee's. It was no average hornet it was 3 1/2"- 4". I've been to other states like Florida and I've seen a lot of creepy bugs in my life but this thing takes the cake.

a reply to: wantsome

OMG! Yesterday we were swimming out back, and when I got out and was sitting in a chair, talking with my nephew, this giant bee flew down right in front of me, it had a cicada and was killing it, the bee was about 3 1/2 inches long, shiny skin, we looked it up when we came in, and the pictures are saying it is this hornet!!! My nephew crushed it , or so he thought, when it dragged the cicada under a piece of carpet, but when we looked today, the cicada bug was there, but no hornet. I was wondering why would this giant hornet be here, all the info said they are only in asia??
Edited to add this information: We have holes all in the ground around our pool. I just read that these things live in the ground. Last year when we took the pool up the whole ground under it was covered in these holes. I am wondering if these are nests for them or for the cicada's.

originally posted by: skunkape23
I saw a hornet in Austin that looked like a freaking crawfish with wings.
It wasn't a Japanese hornet, but it was one scary looking bastard.
It was red and black and I would guess near 3 inches.

Probably a sicada killer wasp.

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

Yeah it was black and yellow just like that and massive in size. Seeing it in a video is one thing but seeing it in person gives it a new perspective. I should wouldn't want to get stung by one.

originally posted by: skunkape23
I saw a hornet in Austin that looked like a freaking crawfish with wings.
It wasn't a Japanese hornet, but it was one scary looking bastard.
It was red and black and I would guess near 3 inches.

I live in Austin too. You might've seen a Red Velvet Ant aka The Cow Killer. I have a couple living in my yard, here's a link: goingtoseedinzone5.com...

Is this what you saw?

STM

originally posted by: seentoomuch

originally posted by: skunkape23
I saw a hornet in Austin that looked like a freaking crawfish with wings.
It wasn't a Japanese hornet, but it was one scary looking bastard.
It was red and black and I would guess near 3 inches.

I live in Austin too. You might've seen a Red Velvet Ant aka The Cow Killer. I have a couple living in my yard, here's a link: goingtoseedinzone5.com...

Is this what you saw?

STM

I've seen a lot of bugs in my life. This was no common wasp that I've ever seen. I've been down south and there are a lot of creepy crawlers there. We don't have a lot creepy crawlers here. Most bugs here have a short life span because of the winters. This thing looked like it could carry my moms chihuahua away. 40 years as an outdoorsman and I never saw anything like this before. The abdomen on this wasp alone was bigger then any cockroach I saw in Florida.

originally posted by: seentoomuch

originally posted by: skunkape23
I saw a hornet in Austin that looked like a freaking crawfish with wings.
It wasn't a Japanese hornet, but it was one scary looking bastard.
It was red and black and I would guess near 3 inches.

I live in Austin too. You might've seen a Red Velvet Ant aka The Cow Killer. I have a couple living in my yard, here's a link: goingtoseedinzone5.com...

Is this what you saw?

STM

We have those and cicada killers here at my house in South Texas. It's the time of the year for both cow killers and cicada killers.

I'll find a quick link to a pic. They hurt like hell if they sting you. Cicada killers sting cicadas and take them in to their burrows in the ground. Lay eggs in them and when the baby cicada killer is born it eats the cicada.

www.cicadamania.com...

a reply to: wantsome

It seems the Japanese bee has developed a defence strategy:

Unlike their European relatives, the Japanese honey bee has a defense against the hornets. When a hornet approaches the hive to release pheromones, the bee workers will retreat back to the hive, leaving an opening to allow the hornet scout to enter. The bees then emerge from their hiding places in an angry cloud formation containing some 500 individuals.[2] They form a tight ball around the attacking hornet that acts like a convection oven with the bees vibrating their wings to generate heat via muscular exertion and then directing the air warmed around them inward to the center of the ball. This causes the interior temperature of the ball to rise to 47 °C (117 °F). Additionally, the bees' activity also increases carbon dioxide concentration inside the ball. The hornet's ability to withstand heat decreases as carbon dioxide concentrations deplete. Thus, ultimately, causing the increased temperature to become lethal.[4]

en.m.wikipedia.org...

Did it look like any of these? If so, that's an Eastern Cicada Killer, not a Japanese hornet.

Edit: NM, totally misread your location abbreviation somehow, lmao. Sorry.


Second edit: Hey, update that! You referred to MI but your location says otherwise. That's what confuzzled me. But anyway, yes, MI has plenty of creepy crawlies that send me running. You just lack giant flying roaches & scorpions up here.

originally posted by: and14263
a reply to: wantsome

It seems the Japanese bee has developed a defence strategy:

Unlike their European relatives, the Japanese honey bee has a defense against the hornets. When a hornet approaches the hive to release pheromones, the bee workers will retreat back to the hive, leaving an opening to allow the hornet scout to enter. The bees then emerge from their hiding places in an angry cloud formation containing some 500 individuals.[2] They form a tight ball around the attacking hornet that acts like a convection oven with the bees vibrating their wings to generate heat via muscular exertion and then directing the air warmed around them inward to the center of the ball. This causes the interior temperature of the ball to rise to 47 °C (117 °F). Additionally, the bees' activity also increases carbon dioxide concentration inside the ball. The hornet's ability to withstand heat decreases as carbon dioxide concentrations deplete. Thus, ultimately, causing the increased temperature to become lethal.[4]

en.m.wikipedia.org...

Invasive species are extremely destructive to environments because usually the native species and ecosystems have no defense. Invasive species can get out of control fast.

originally posted by: seentoomuch

originally posted by: skunkape23
I saw a hornet in Austin that looked like a freaking crawfish with wings.
It wasn't a Japanese hornet, but it was one scary looking bastard.
It was red and black and I would guess near 3 inches.

I live in Austin too. You might've seen a Red Velvet Ant aka The Cow Killer. I have a couple living in my yard, here's a link: goingtoseedinzone5.com...

Is this what you saw?

STM

It wasn't a cow ant. I am very familiar with that sting. I have no desire to go back for seconds.

originally posted by: Nyiah
Did it look like any of these? If so, that's an Eastern Cicada Killer, not a Japanese hornet.

Edit: NM, totally misread your location abbreviation somehow, lmao. Sorry.

Second edit: Hey, update that! You referred to MI but your location says otherwise. That's what confuzzled me. But anyway, yes, MI has plenty of creepy crawlies that send running. You just lack giant flying roaches & scorpions up here.

This was the size. What I saw was the width of my hand.
i.ytimg.com...

The cicada killer is small in comparison.

dang....I had no idea....

a reply to: wantsome

Biff the fly swat and get a good size tennis bat,that'll sort them out. I've seen them in action on TV,they mince the bee's and take the baby bees for dinner,they can lay waste to a hive of thousands PDQ. If they are over there in the us,I feel for u guys, don't know if the veroa mite is affective against them,hope so though.

a reply to: wantsome

Biff the fly swat and get a good size tennis bat,that'll sort them out. I've seen them in action on TV,they mince the bee's and take the baby bees for dinner,they can lay waste to a hive of thousands PDQ. If they are over there in the us,I feel for u guys, don't know if the veroa mite is affective against them,hope so though.