A hidden honest nest nearly the size of a basketball under the dense leaves was discovered by my 7-year-old daughter this evening in front of my house by the jogging path.
- Hornet nest almost the size of basketball, photo taken just before torching fire.
- The nest was torched to burning by our guards
- The nest fell after few minutes of fire
- Hornet larvae found from the burned down nest
From my observation, the hornet has 2 orange bands covering the first and second segment of its abdomen while the rest of the abdomen is black. It has been identified as The Lesser Banded Hornet or Vespa affinis (黄腰虎头蜂) (Tebuan Tanah) According to literature findings this is the most aggressive of the three species of hornets found in Singapore & Malaysia. It will attack with the slightest provocation in large numbers and give chase over longer distance and its sting is painful. The effect of the poison injected with the sting depends on the species and how sensitive the victim is to the poison. Response can be localized pain, swelling and redness. In more serious cases chest constriction, wheezing and vomiting may occur. Immediate medical attention is advisable.
For the safety of my children and all PP8A joggers, I decided to burn down the hornet nest on that same night without hesitation. (see pictures above)
http://www.msptm.org/files/81_-_82_A_fatal_case.pdf
“It is also advisable that those, especially in close contact with these insects be educated on the danger of hornet sting and preventive measures to be undertaken.”
Lee, H.L., Krishnasamy, M. and Jeffery, J *Unit of Medical Entomology / IDRC, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.*Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.