How to Get Away With Murder Hornets Quiz

Answer: 40

One Asian giant hornet can kill about 40 honeybees each minute through decapitation using their large and strong mandibles. The bees' stings are ineffective because of the size and armour-like exteriors of the hornets. As few as 50 Asian giant hornets can decimate a huge colony of bees (tens of thousands) in only a few hours.

Answer: False

An Asian giant hornet has a wingspan that can reach approximately 3 inches (75 mm). The Rufus humingbird is only slightly larger, with an average wingspan of approximately 4.25 inches (108 mm). That's one big hornet!

Answer: 6 mm (1/4 inch)

The Asian giant hornet's stinger is at the rear end of its body. When it stings, it injects a potent venom that can cause pain and death to its foe. Scientists have developed a scale of toxicity for insect venom and have found that the actual venom is about as toxic as other wasps, but in the case of the Asian giant hornet, there is simply much more injected with each sting.

This is what makes their venom more lethal.

Answer: Pheromones

Pheromones are a scent chemical that is secreted that lets the rest of the hive know that there is a danger, and where the danger is. This allows more hornets to mobilize and help the original hornet to overcome any threats to the hive.

Answer: In the ground

Asian giant hornets have a specialized tooth in their mouths that allows them to dig holes in the ground for their nests. Many nests are also found in rotting tree roots and tunnels previously made by rodents and snakes.

Answer: Dark brown/black

The Asian giant hornets' eyes are on the front of their heads. Regardless of sex, the eyes are dark brown/black, and sit on the hornets' orange heads.

Answer: They die after they sting once.

Each Asian giant hornet can sting multiple times. Asian giant hornets are a threat to North American honey bees where they kill the bees and eat the honey. Asian bees have developed a defense mechanism that North American bees do not have. This is a serious concern because the Asian giant hornets were first spotted in North America in 2019.

They can also kill a human being with their potent venom that is released when they sting multiple times.

Answer: Fly back and forth and snap their mandibles

The Asian giant hornets generally do not sting unless they or their nests are disturbed. They do give an intimidating warning before stinging. They fly back and forth snapping their mandibles. They are the only wasp species to give this warning.

Answer: False

Asian giant hornets are considered a delicacy in some areas of Japan. Their larvae are eaten in a variety of dishes. The adult, including the stinger, is fried until it is crisp before it is eaten. It is a large insect, so a good source of protein, but one wonders if these dishes will spread with the hornets.

Answer: Overheating scout hornets

When a scout hornet approaches their hive, the Japanese honey bees can smell the pheromones it is secreting and they gather at the hive entrance. When the hornet enters, they quickly surround it in a ball and vibrate to raise its temperature to at least 46 °C (115 °F).

The vibration also raises the level of carbon dioxide. The scout hornet dies of a combination of the heat and high levels of CO2 before it is able to send a signal to its own colony that a beehive has been found. North American bees lack this defence mechanism, so hives are particularly vulnerable if the Asian giant hornet becomes established on the continent.