Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)

The Oriental Hornet is a social insect in Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa, and some parts of Southern Europe. It has a brown body with thick yellow bands on its abdomen and yellow patches on its face.

Despite their intimidating appearance and reputation for stinging, these hornets are generally harmless and only attack when threatened. They are active during the day, building their nests underground or taking over abandoned burrows. They help control pest populations.

Interestingly, this type of hornet can harvest solar energy to create electricity inside its exoskeleton2.

The queen is responsible for laying eggs, while the female workers handle the rest of the tasks, such as nest building, food gathering, and protection. Male drones exist solely to win the queen's favor.