We all know that Japan is a land filled with amazing wonders that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, that’s also true for its terrors.

To some, this may look like the Pokemon Beedrill or some creature straight out of the Jumanji universe, but it’s not — this thing can literally kill you.

This is the Asian giant hornet, the largest hornet in the world, which is typically found in Eastern Asia. This one just decided to land itself on a sweater so you can easily tell how massive it is.

In Japan, these monster insects are locally known as osuzumebachi, which translates to “giant sparrow bee.”

They normally measure 2-3 inches in length, which is still huge, and if you can believe it, the Queen is even bigger. These hornets do have a sting, which is about a quarter-inch long, and it’s packed with a potent venom that can be deadly to humans who aren’t even typically allergic to bee and wasp venom.



The giants are responsible for about 30 to 40 deaths a year in Japan alone. In 2013, their stings killed 41 people in Shaanxi, China and injured 1,600.

These hornets are extremely predatory and can fly up to 25 mph, which is faster than the fastest human can run. Apparently, the only way to really protect yourself against these guys is to hide behind a strong screen (but you may want to consider arming yourself with a tennis racket… or cannon).