The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the largest of the true hornets with a body length of nearly 2 inches (5 cm) and a wingspan of 3 inches (7.5 cm). Like other true hornets, it has a venom-injecting stinger and releases attack pheromones when it feels threatened, so other Asian giant hornets join in. This species also has considerable variation, especially noticeable in the head and abdomen, as seen here. Images by A. H. Smith-Pardo, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.