The hornet has a body length of 45 mm ( 1 + 3⁄ 4 in), a wingspan around 75 mm (3 in), and a stinger 6 mm ( 1⁄ 4 in) long, which injects a large amount of potent venom. It feeds primarily on larger insects, colonies of other eusocial insects, tree sap, and honey from honey bee colonies. mandarinia creates nests by digging, co-opting pre-existing tunnels dug by rodents, or occupying spaces near rotten pine roots.

Īsian giant hornets prefer to live in low mountains and forests, while almost completely avoiding plains and high-altitude climates. However, by the end of the season in November 2022, there were no confirmed sightings in North America at all, suggesting they may have been eradicated in that region. It was also found in the Pacific Northwest of North America in late 2019 with a few more additional sightings in 2020, and nests found in 2021, prompting concern that it could become an invasive species. It is native to temperate and tropical East Asia, South Asia, Mainland Southeast Asia, and parts of the Russian Far East. The Asian giant hornet ( Vespa mandarinia) or northern giant hornet, including the color form referred to as the Japanese giant hornet, is the world's largest hornet.

Vespa mandarina Dalla Torre, 1894 (misspelling).

Hornet skin