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Hornet venoms: lethalities and lethal capacities.

J O Schmidt, S Yamane, M Matsuura

    Toxicon : Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology
    |January 1, 1986
    PubMed
    Summary
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    The venom of the wasp V. luctuosa is the most lethal known, with an LD50 of 1.6 mg/kg. A new lethal capacity index quantifies sting lethality for individual wasps and entire colonies.

    Area of Science:

    • Toxicology
    • Entomology
    • Comparative Biology

    Background:

    • The venom of various wasp species (Vespa mandarinia japonica, V. simillima xanthoptera, V. tropica deusta, and V. l. luctuosa) was analyzed for its toxicological properties.
    • Previous research has not fully quantified the lethality of individual stings or the cumulative effect of entire colonies.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To determine the median lethal dose (LD50) values for the venoms of four wasp species in mice.
    • To introduce and define a new metric, 'lethal capacity,' to assess the lethality of a single wasp sting.
    • To evaluate the venomous potential of individual wasps and entire hornet colonies.

    Main Methods:

    • Intravenous (i.v.) administration of pure venoms to determine LD50 values in mice.
    • Calculation of lethal capacity based on venom yield and LD50.

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  • Calculation of colony lethal capacity for V. tropica.

    • Main Results:

    • The LD50 values (mg/kg) for V. mandarinia japonica, V. simillima xanthoptera, V. tropica deusta, and V. l. luctuosa were 4.1, 3.1, 2.8, and 1.6, respectively.
    • V. luctuosa venom exhibited the highest lethality with an LD50 of 1.6 mg/kg, the lowest recorded for any wasp venom.
    • V. mandarinia and V. tropica were identified as the most venomous insects, with a single V. mandarinia sting capable of delivering an LD50 dose to 270g of mouse.
    • The colony lethal capacity for V. tropica was calculated as 84 kg of mouse/colony.

    Conclusions:

    • V. luctuosa possesses the most lethal wasp venom identified to date.
    • The newly proposed 'lethal capacity' index provides a quantitative measure of sting and colony venomousness.
    • Certain hornet species, like V. mandarinia and V. tropica, represent significant venomous threats individually and collectively.