Australian hornet Australian hornet The Australian hornet ("Abispa ephippium"), actually a type of potter wasp or "mason wasp", is a vespid insect native to the Australian states and territories of the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. The Australian hornet is a solitary insect, forming small nests against buildings and other structures. The adult wasp feeds off flower nectar, while the larvae are fed caterpillars captured by the female. "A. ephippium" is in length. The insect is mostly orange, with a large central black patch on the top of the thorax, and a wide black
Hornet visible under high magnification) and can easily be withdrawn and so are not pulled out of their bodies when disengaging. The toxicity of hornet stings varies according to hornet species; some deliver just a typical insect sting, while others are among the most venomous known insects. Single hornet stings are not in themselves fatal, except sometimes to allergic victims. Multiple stings by non-European hornets may be fatal because of highly toxic species-specific components of their venom. The stings of the Asian giant hornet ("Vespa mandarinia") are among the most venomous known, and are thought to cause 30–50 human deaths annually