Giant Asian Hornet

Giant Asian Hornet

Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta

7 Essential Functions:

Wasps and Hornets are more or less similar, with only a few changes.

                                                                      Body Structure: 

 

 

Digestion (Feeding):

They have a complete digestive system, meaning that they have a long tube-like structure running down their body, from mouth to anus. The digested food usually travels in one direction. Feeding habits vary amongst the Hornets.

 

 

Circulatory System:

Have Open circulatory system, meaning that the blood within the body moves freely throughout the entire organism. The circulatory system is responsible for movement of nutrients, salts, hormones, and metabolic wastes throughout the hornets body. Usually have hearts to help with blood flow etc.

 

Respiratory System:

All insects are aerobic organisms, meaning they must obtain oxygen from their environment in order to survive. Air enters the insect's body through valve-like openings in the exoskeleton, called spiracles.

 

Excretion:

In insects, a system involving Malpighian Tubules is used to excrete wastes. These wastes diffuse or are actively transported into the tubule, which transports the wastes to the intestines. The wastes are then released from the body along with fecal matter. Wastes exit through the anus, like almost any organism.

 

Movement:

Insects tend to have many different forms of movement. The hornet shows some of that variation because it has wings and feet. Using the wings, it can propel itself forward, up, down and all around, going great distances. When it's in it's nest or simply landing on a surface, it uses it's legs to walk around.

 

Reproduction:

Have 3 main types of Hornet; The Queen, worker and drone.

The Queen is the only one able to lay eggs, so protecting her is vital. Queen mates with the drones. The workers essentially keep the hive nice and 'tidy'.

 

Hornets are Bilaterally symmetrical. And have 3 germ layers; Ectoderm, Mesoderm and Endoderm. Other organisms found in this phylum are Spiders, Scorpions, Lobster, Millipedes and Centipeds, etc.

 

Scorpion

Lobster

Ecology:

Hornets don't seem to have a purpose in the world, but they do in fact serve society and nature.

 

Hornets are classified as Protosomes.

 

INTERESTING FACTS:

The Giant Asian Hornet is the largest hornet in the world, reaching up to 2 inches in length, with a wingspan of 3 inches. The stinger is 1/4 inches in length, and can produce lethal stings.

 

The stinger can inject a dangerous poison, which can cause death to those who are not even allergic. They can bite at the same time, so that basically means twice the pain.

 

Nests are built out of wood and paper found in the trash or on the ground

 

 

The hornets can devastate a colony of honey bees: a single hornet can kill as many as 40 honey bees per minute thanks to its large mandibles which can quickly strike and decapitate a bee. The honeybee stings are ineffective because the hornets are five times the size and too heavily armoured.

 

Hornets can't eat their prey, so instead chew them up and feed them to larvae. The larvae then spew up liquids that the adults eat.