The
Oriental hornet,
Vespa orientalis, is a
social insect of the
Vespidae family. It can be found in
Southwest Asia,
Northeast Africa, the island of
Madagascar, and parts of
Southern Europe. Oriental hornets have also been found in a few isolated locations such as
Mexico due to human introduction. The Oriental hornet lives in seasonal colonies consisting of caste system dominated by a queen. The hornet builds its
nests underground and communicates using sound vibrations. The hornet has a yellow stripe on its
cuticle (exoskeleton) which can absorb
sunlight to generate a small
electrical potential, and it has been suggested that this might help supply energy for digging. The adult hornet eats
nectar and fruits and scavenges for
insects and animal proteins to feed to their young. Because they are scavengers, the hornets may also serve as a transmitter of disease following consumption of infected plants. The hornets are a primary pest to
honey bees, attacking bee colonies to obtain
honey and animal proteins. The sting of an Oriental hornet can be quite painful to humans and some humans are
allergic to stings.