About Vespa bicolor Fabricius, 1787
Vespa bicolor, commonly known as the black shield wasp, was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1787. This hornet species has been identified as a pollinator of Dendrobium sinense (also called Dendrobium christyanum), an orchid that is only found on the Chinese island of Hainan. The orchid produces a chemical compound that mimics a honey bee pheromone to attract this predatory wasp. Vespa bicolor preys on honey bees to feed to its own larvae. Alongside species from the genus Parapolybia, Vespa bicolor is the most common species of large wasp in Hong Kong. It lives in a wide variety of environments, and is often found near human housing.
