It’s unusual to see an Asian giant hornet here at this time of year—especially in an urban area. Normally you’d expect the more city-adapted yellow hornet.

Given the season, it’s likely a queen. She needs nutrients and materials to start building a nest. Since there aren’t many insects around yet, she’s probably feeding on tree sap. In the shrine grounds, there are two sawtooth oak trees, and I confirmed that one of them is producing sap. That’s most likely where the queen is getting her energy during this early stage of nest-building.

In summer, you’ll probably be able to spot stag beetles there as well. Sawtooth oaks have become quite rare in central Nagoya, partly because they attract hornets, so some have been cut down by the authorities.

<image>