The wasp is recognizable by the reddish body and a single yellow band on the abdomen.
The eastern wasp is a very widespread hymenopteran in North Africa, in South Eastern Europe and throughout South Western Asia and is easily recognizable by its reddish body and the yellow band present on the abdomen. In the summer of 2022 there were numerous sightings in Rome, but it is a native wasp in Italy.
This wasp should not be confused with the mandarin Vespa , the one that is considered the largest and most dangerous in the whole globe, but the latter has never been spotted in Italy. The eastern Vespa is recognizable thanks to the brick red color that entirely covers the surface of the body with the exception of the yellow band on the abdomen and the black spot on the head.
In Italy this wasp is very common in the South , but, slowly, it is also expanding in the North, in particular in Trieste and Genoa. This builds the nest, similar to that of the hornet , inside natural cavities or holes in the ground, but it can also exploit uninhabited buildings.
Eastern wasps live in seasonal colonies that can reach several thousand individuals and this species can seriously endanger the existence of bees , as they attack the colonies to obtain honey and feed on dead insects.
In defending their nest they become very aggressive. Their sting is very painful but can give rise to very dangerous allergic reactions in humans, especially in the case of a large number of stings. Before attacking, it soars in a threatening way and tends to move away if it is not actively harassed.
- The oriental wasp (Vespa orientalis) (kodami.it)
