Home
Back

Dear visitor, if you know the answer to this question, please post it. Thank you!

Note that this thread has not been updated in a long time, and its content might not be up-to-date anymore.

Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/2 13:38
I have been living in Japan long enough to know that wearing black clothing specifically can trigger attacks from Japanese hornets (ƒXƒYƒƒoƒ`) and that they are active between spring and autumn.

They are much more aggressive in autumn, due to it being mating season, but since I live in the countryside, I have come across them during spring.

Actually, just yesterday I was riding my bicycle to work and one very large Japanese hornet or possibly a Bumble bee (ƒNƒ}ƒoƒ`jflew right into my forehead and bounced off hard without stinging. It was stunning because I didn't expect it and it could have hit me in the eyes.

Experts say to wear light colored clothing, but my wardrobe mostly consists of dark clothing: black, gray, brown, etc). A lot of my clothing is dark but I have long sleeve shirts and pants which, would maybe trigger them but make it more difficult for them to sting me, but I know they attack fiercely and quickly.

I have a black leather jacket that I wear and although this might trigger an attack, the jacket is thick and I don't think a Japanese hornet would be able to sting through the jacket.

If I bought a dark brown or even a light brown leather jacket, would this still trigger an attack or do they only attack black?

by blondesurferboy  

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/2 16:59
Do you live in a rural area or area with lots of parks that have flowering plants?
by hakata14 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/2 17:28
I live in a rural area about 20/30 minutes outside downtown Shizuoka City and yes flowers, bushes, trees everywhere.

I plan to buy a brown leather jacket mainly because I just want one, but it will be interesting to see how the Japanese hornets react to it as opposed to a black leather jacket.
by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/3 01:51
I came across this online:

•ˆÈŠO‚Å–I‚ÉUŒ‚‚³‚ê‚â‚·‚¢F‚ÍH
‰äXlŠÔ‚Í—lX‚ÈF‚ðF‚Æ‚µ‚Ä”FŽ¯‚µ‚Ä‚¢‚Ü‚·‚ªA–I‚ÍŠî–{“I‚É¢ŠE‚ª”’•‚ÉŒ©‚¦‚Ä‚¢‚é‚ÆŒ¾‚í‚ê‚Ä‚¢‚Ü‚·Biƒ~ƒcƒoƒ`‚¾‚¯‚Í—áŠO‚ÅA6F‚ð”»•Êo—ˆ‚é‚Æ‚¢‚¤ŽÀŒ±Œ‹‰Ê‚ ‚èj

‚‚܂èA–I‚É‚Æ‚Á‚Ä‚ÍUŒ‚‘ÎÛ‚Ì•‚©A‚»‚êˆÈŠO‚Ì”’‚©‚Ì2F‚µ‚©”»’fŠî€‚ª–³‚¢‚Æ‚¢‚¤Ž–B‚·‚È‚í‚¿A•‚É‹ß‚¯‚ê‚΋߂¢F‚Ù‚ÇUŒ‚‚³‚ê‚éŠëŒ¯«‚ªã‚ª‚Á‚Ä‚µ‚Ü‚¤‚Æl‚¦‚Ä—Ç‚¢‚Å‚µ‚傤B

‚ÆŒ¾‚Á‚Ä‚àA‚Ç‚ÌF‚ª‚æ‚è•‚É‹ß‚¢‚©‚̓Cƒ[ƒW‚µ‚Â炢‚Å‚·‚ËB‚»‚±‚ÅA”Ží—Þ‚ÌF‚ð‰æ‘œƒ\ƒtƒg‚Å”’•‚É•ÏŠ·‚µ‚Ä‚Ý‚Ü‚µ‚½B

ŽŸ‚Ì12F‚ði‰æ‘œƒNƒŠƒbƒN‚ÅŠg‘åjc

http://info-of-info.com/archives/3695

It is explaining that hornets see in black and white. So dark brown would be closer to black than white, which would increase my chances of being stung.

Bright colors such as yellow, orange, pink, etc would be closer to white, which does not trigger hornets.

My friend mentioned that a lot of people wear dark colors in Japan and I don't need to worry too much about being stung unless I'm wearing all solid black and walking around areas where they are in large numbers.
by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/3 07:11
Actually – black does not trigger an attack. An attack is triggered by motion and vibration. Black simply makes it easier for the hornet to identify the source – presumably a hereditary throwback to black bears which prey on their larva. Also, hornets are more aggressive in the autumn simply because they are running out of food sources – the various insects they normally eat at the same time they are feeding their young and raising virgin queens for the following year. So they are out and about a bit more. A hornet that you see at this time in the spring – is very likely to be a queen, and will buzz-off if you wave at it, prioritising self-protection. Quite unlike what hornets will do in another month or in the fall.

If an attack is underway – the best strategy is to run away as fast and for as long as you can. An attacking hornet leaves a pheromone trail which her sisters will follow to join the attack, so extending distance is important. Of course, white clothing is always preferred.
by Paul (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/3 17:23
So you are saying I can keep wearing a solid black leather jacket and dark clothes in general as long as I'm not moving or making noise/vibrations I'm ok?

Wouldn't they just detect me as a black bear standing still?

by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/3 17:58
Yes - if you are not near their nest. That is, if not already stung by one (thus not under attack), stopping movement will cause them to lose interest, even if you are wearing black (and not bothering their nest). But if you are near (within feet of) a nest where you might bother them - wearing white gives the best protection if not attacked, but if attacked white will reduce the attack, while you run away.

As a honeybee keeper - I am around hornets all of the time as I tend my hives - and I simply ignore the hornets as I work - and have never been stung. Once I have finished and have closed up the honeybee hive, only then do I go on attack mode myself and take out the hornets with a net or my wide paint scrapper. I would not do this near a hornet nest, as there would be too many to deal with all at once. But if I have 10 to 20 or so buzzing around, trying to eat my honeybees, then I am comfortable taking them out so long as I am suited up in white.
by Paul (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/3 19:46
So do you do this type of work here in Japan or somewhere else?

by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 14:47
Paul, you seem to be an expert on them.

However one thing i wonder: in all the guides that i read about suzumebatchi it was written:
* when it comes to attack you try NOT to run, rather stay on the ground and dont move at all.
* sit on floor and try to look like a rock, hands shielding your head.
* Even when being attacked you shouldnt move, cause it will make more angry

also i heard it is pointless to run from them since they seem to be faster than you anyhow and running makes them more likely that they attack you.

however you suggest to run as fast as you can (which would have been also my intuitive solution, known from wasps here in europe, but they are probably not so fast). so what is correct?
by Glimpigumpi rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 19:23
If that question was for me - yes, I am in Japan.

The `confusion` over run/don`t run is caused by the assumed meaning of `attacked`. If you have not been stung (and have not just kicked their nest), non-movement would be the recommended action – you have not been attacked. But if you have already been stung – you have been attacked, and you will be stung again and again (since they have released their attack pheromone which will bring in their buddies), so in this case - run and keep running. And of course seek medical help.

As an aside here – when I use my net to take out hornets, I need to be careful after returning home and taking it out of the car – since the pheromone will be on the net, and nearby hornets (not knowing that it is from a hornet many kilometers away) will come to the aid of the long dead and distant hornet.
by Paul (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 21:23
Yes, Paul thanks again for sharing all this information...especially with a guy like me that really hates hornets. Honey bees are cool in my book because honey tastes amazing.

I once visited these tea fields which has some good hiking trails in Mishima during summer...boy that was a mistake.

I didn't know at the time that Japanese hornets love to hangout area tea fields. Do they like the plants that are used to make green tea?

Anyway, we kept seeing hornets sitting on the ground and slowly walked passed them and they didn't move but there was this one that chased after us. My wife and I weren't even walking fast, wearing dark colors or anywhere near their nest (we here in the middle of a wide hiking trail). Then again, I don't know the exact distance that hornets consider "too close to their nest".

We weren't sure whether the hornet was in attack mode or not, but we didn't want to stick around to find out. We are both fast runners and we were able to run a long distance and escape.
by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 21:25
We were in the middle of a wide hiking trail.*

hangout around tea fields*

Excuse the typos. I was typing way too fast and it seems people can't edit there posts on here...
by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 21:25
their posts*

You see what I mean? haha
by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 21:51
ah, if i would have gotten 10cent every time i wished for this edit feature, then i would be rich by now :-)

i seem to share the same dislike against hornets like blondesurferboy. i love mountaineering and hiking (especially in the wilderness) and i am pretty afraid that some time i will encounter some bad-mooded suzumebatchi. Next trip will be to tohoku in late july (until now i was only in autums and spring, where they are more rare). and my biggest fear are those hornets (i have been stung by other minor wasps in japan already (accentually steppend halfway on one, so it was my fault, but still) and i know they hurt like hell (compared to european ones)). hope i will not encounter them. ever.

to paul: hmm, ok, i heard even when being stung you should remain calm and not run, but i guess, who can do this i wonder... so your advice sounds more legit.
by Glimpigumpi rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/4 22:22
Yes, I love hiking during summer and autumn too because the weather is usually great but I'm deathly afraid of suzumebachi as well.

To Paul: Are there certain regions of Japan where there are less suzumebachi?

For example, would there be more in Kyushu or Shikoku as opposed to Tohoku or Hokkaido or are they all over Japan in large numbers? Or are their numbers mostly based on the season not the area?

I'm also planning to do some traveling this year to various countryside areas in Japan but I would prefer to go to places where there aren't as many of them?
by blondesurferboy rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/5 04:03
Unfortunately, I don`t know their geographic dispersion intensity - but logically, there should be fewer in the colder areas. With Japan (and the globe) warming, there are more now than in the past.

Wide hiking trails sound safer as you will be further away from a nest. A tea field sounds ideal for nests – since the tea bush provides rainwater `cover` and thus ideal conditions for the yellow hornet `paper` nests plus offers difficulty in seeing it. The large hornet nests in the ground, generally under rotting tree stumps, so is more sensitive to the motion/vibration from hiking shoes.
by Paul (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/6 21:08
How do the hornets respond to insect repellants? I know you shouldn't wear perfume, as they are attracted to the sweet smell, but what about repellant? Does it work for hornets?
by futurehiker (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/7 07:15
Great question - but I don`t know. I never use repellants myself since I don`t want odors to upset my honeybees. But I have never heard of repellants being useful among my honeybee association members.
by Paul (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Japanese hornets and dark clothing? 2018/4/10 13:57
The best solution would be to wear thick gloves, a turtleneck shirt, a hat, a mouth mask and sunglasses so that the bees have less places to sting you. But that would be very hot during summer but maybe ok for autumn. But a whole body armor of metal from head to toe or a space suit would probably be the only 100 percent shield against hornets but that would look ridiculous unless its a hike in the woods on Halloween day.
by bee watcher (guest) rate this post as useful

reply to this thread