WASPS & BEES IN JAPANBEEMILL › Which insect is it?
Hornet, paper wasp or honey bee?
In Japan these three are treated completely differently.
The quickest way to tell them apart is the shape of the nest, not the insect.
From Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute and Kobe City.
Start with the nest
Closed, round, papery — hornet (suzumebachi)
The outside is covered and there is usually one entrance. Some species nest underground or in a roof space.
Kiiro-suzumebachi nests can hold more than 1,000 workers at their peak, and an oo-suzumebachi nest can reach over 50 cm across and 80 cm long[10]. Do not go near it and do not try to remove it. Nagoya City, Chiba City, Kobe City and Sakai City all say to leave hornet nests to a professional[10].
Open umbrella shape, cells visible — paper wasp (ashinagabachi)
Like an upturned rice bowl, with the hexagonal cells showing because there is no outer covering.
Kobe City says paper wasps are weak against insecticide and fairly easy to deal with while the nest is small, and to call a professional if you feel at risk[11].
The nest lasts one season and is not reused the next year[11].
Flat sheets, a mass of insects — honey bee (mitsubachi)
Flat combs hanging down; a big colony can have ten or more.
In spring a swarm hangs in a dark cluster on a branch or under the eaves. This is not an attack. It usually moves on within a few hours to a few days, and Kobe City notes that bees in a swarm are calm and rarely sting[12].
Unlike wasp nests, a honey bee nest can be used for several years[12].
If you only saw the insect
| Size | Look | In flight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oo-suzumebachi Asian giant hornet | 27–45 mm | Large orange-yellow head; dark brown thorax; orange abdomen with one black band per segment[10] | Heavy, loud |
| Kiiro-suzumebachi Yellow hornet | 17–28 mm | Head and abdomen yellow, thorax dark brown; looks yellow overall. Small for a hornet but causes the most sting injuries[10] | Fast |
| Ashinagabachi Paper wasp | 14–26 mm | Slimmer body[10] | Legs dangling below it[10] |
| Mitsubachi Honey bee | 10–20 mm | Round, visibly hairy[12] | Slow, busy between flowers |
The Japanese names are the ones a city office or a removal company will use on the phone.
When is it dangerous?
September is the worst month. Fukushima Prefecture writes that hornet nests reach their largest size around September and the insects become more aggressive[6].
Saitama Prefecture puts the dangerous period for hornets at July to October[7].
Paper wasps peak from late July to mid-August[11].
In winter, hornet and paper wasp nests are empty[11]. A month-by-month table (Japanese) →
Next
If you were stung
The first minutes, and when to call 119.
Free removal by your city
42 of 317 municipalities remove nests at no charge.
Full field guide (Japanese)
Ten species with photos and sources.
Find a removal company (Japanese)
By prefecture and city.
Sources
- [10] Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute — Stinging wasps and bees (Japanese)
- [11] Kobe City — Paper wasps (Japanese)
- [12] Kobe City — Honey bees (Japanese)
- [6] Fukushima Prefecture — Preventing stings (Japanese)
- [7] Saitama Prefecture — If you are stung (PDF, Japanese)
Checked on 2026-10-18. Most sources are Japanese public bodies; the English on this page is BEEMILL's translation of what they wrote. Where the original wording matters, follow the link and read the source.