Ilustración a tinta con técnica de puntillismo que muestra una vista frontal de la cabeza y luego una vista dorsal de un ejemplar macho adulto, ambos incluyen una escala.
Ilustración en zoología hecha en tinta con técnica de puntillismo que muestra una vista frontal de la cabeza y luego una vista dorsal de un ejemplar macho adulto, ambos incluyen una escala.
Ilustración a tinta con técnica de puntillismo que muestra en detalle una vista dorsal de un ejemplar macho adulto.
Imagen que muestra la mesa de trabajo con materiales para el estudio morfológico de la avispa asiática (Vespa velutina).

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina)

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is a wasp (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from Southeast Asia. It inhabits regions extending from Indonesia to northern India, mainly in temperate subtropical climate zones. Its diet is based on insects such as aphids, ants, bees, and butterflies, as well as other invertebrates.

In Western Europe, the subspecies Vespa velutina nigrithorax has become established as an invasive species, due to the climatic similarity with its area of ​​origin. In 2004, a cargo ship from Asia accidentally transported the species to France. Since then, it has spread rapidly across the continent. In Spain, the presence of nests of the species was confirmed in 2010, entering through the Pyrenees and spreading throughout the territory.

The Asian hornet's sting does not pose a danger to humans, except in cases of multiple stings or attacks near a nest. But its most serious impact falls on the ecosystem since it represents a serious threat to native bees, such as the European honey bee (Apis mellifera). These species do not have effective defenses against their attacks, so a colony of Asian wasps can devastate a hive in a very short time.

In Spain, the Asian wasp is classified as an invasive exotic species. This is due to its colonizing capacity and the serious risk it poses to local species. Currently, specialized agencies are implementing control, management, and possible eradication strategies to mitigate their impact and preserve biodiversity.

This illustration was made as a final project for the subject of ink illustration, of the postgraduate course in Scientific Illustration at the UPV/EHU, taught by Professor Carles Puche.

Year: 2020
Technique: Ink illustration with pointillism technique
Illustration type: Scientific.
Type of project/Client: Course project.