Also called the European hornet, Vespa crabro is the better known species, widely distributed in Europe, North China and also the only species introduced to North America. Vespa crabro has a yellow face and a brown thorax. The Oriental hornet or Vespa orientalis is very similar to the European hornet, and also found in Mediterranean Europe and Asia. This species has a large yellow band across the abdomen containing a pigment called xanthopterin, which is associated with the ability to capture sunlight and transform it into electrical energy, reports the BBC.
Also called shield wasp, the bicolored hornet or Vespa bicolor is found in Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. This hornet is an important pollinator of the orchid Dendrobium sinense, endemic to the island of Hainan, in China. Vespa bicolor is an aggressive species, preying on other insects, such as honeybees. The Asian giant hornet or Vespa mandarinia is the largest hornet, reaching 3 inches in wingspan. It is native to eastern Asia.
The greater banded hornet or Vespa tropica lives in tropical Asia. Vespa tropica attacks the nests of other wasps (Polistines) to capture their larvae, which it uses as the main diet for its own larvae. The Asian predatory wasp or Vespa velutina is native to China and widespread in Asia. The species is invasive in some European countries, such as France.
The yellow-vented hornet or Vespa analis is a secretive hornet species found across Asia that feeds on other insects. Another Asian species is the lesser banded hornet or Vespa affinis, a small to medium hornet, which preys mainly on flies. It shows different arrangements of brown and orange patterns across its several subspecies.