Who wants to watch a fight? - Page 7

On January 06 2008 03:06 SoleSteeler wrote:
Pretty disturbing, but I still watched a few... I don't like the sad looking bugs that just want out!

The stinger of the Asian giant hornet is about 6 mm (¼ in) in length, and injects an especially potent venom that contains, like many bee and wasp venoms, a cytolytic peptide (specifically, a mastoparan) that can damage tissue by stimulating phospholipase action, in addition to its own intrinsic phospholipase. Masato Ono, an entomologist at Tamagawa University near Tokyo, described the sensation as feeling "like a hot nail being driven into my leg.".

An allergic human stung by the giant hornet may die from an allergic reaction to the venom; but the venom contains a neurotoxin called mandaratoxin which can be lethal to people who are not allergic if the dose is sufficient. About 70 people die each year in Japan after being stung by giant hornets.

A few interesting notes on Vespa mandarinia's venom and stinger:

* The venom contains at least eight distinct chemicals, some of which damage tissue, some of which cause pain, and at least one which has an odor that attracts more hornets to the victim.
* The venom contains 5% acetylcholine, a greater concentration than is present in bee or other wasp venoms. Acetylcholine stimulates the pain nerve fibres, intensifying the pain of the sting.
* Vespa mandarinia uses its large crushing mandibles, rather than its sting, to kill prey.
* The venom of the Asian giant hornet is more toxic than that of most other bees or wasps, giving this species one of the greatest lethal capacities per colony.
* The enzyme in the venom is so strong that it can dissolve human tissue.
* Like all hornets, V. mandarinia has a barbless stinger, allowing it to sting repeatedly.

The Asian giant hornet is a relentless hunter that preys on other large insects such as bees, other hornet species, and praying mantises.

On January 06 2008 03:50 Manit0u wrote:

I think that's our champion (if only the scorpion won't stop it)

On January 05 2008 14:08 dronebabo wrote:
lol i keep watching this and getting hungrier each time

On January 05 2008 23:15 CruiseR wrote:
Round 18 is praying mantis vs ???

On January 06 2008 04:39 Boblion wrote:

Hornet is overated :D. Lil bee FTW !!! ( bee are the cutest insects )

On January 06 2008 06:59 asdflkjh wrote:
Someone should download these in order to save them from animal rights groups before they find out. I know it's disturbing and morally repugnant and everything but it's just damn cool. Also adding korean commentary to them would be hilarious.

On January 06 2008 09:21 tiffany wrote:

i don't want to start a debate, and i don't know why i'm responding to 2 post asdflkjh, but let me just reply to all of you that think this is "cruel" and "unethical"

the whole basis for why we have PETA and animal rights and such is because they are vertebrates and can feel the same kind of pain we do. these are arthropods, which in fact or invertebrates. despite having nerve webs, the amount of "pain" they may be able to feel as we know it is incredibly small. this is why some males are able to just sit there while they are being slowly eaten alive by their female counterparts. their feelings aren't hurt either.

to do this to rare and endangered species is of course unethical, but otherwise there is nothing different from this and you killing the bugs yourself. me personally, i leave spiders alone because they are anti-pest, but if i see a scorpion or centipede in my home i am not going to hesitate just because i don't want to cause it "pain"