Femi Ezhuthupallickal Benny on her recent fieldwork in Nagaland, India– First prize, Doctoral School Blog Competition 2025.
What does it come to your mind when you hear ‘hornets’?
For most people, it’s fear, hatred, stings and danger. But if you ask me, it sparks my curiosity- Which species is it? Where was it spotted? What was it doing?
Well, you cannot expect otherwise from someone who is doing a PhD on the ecology and behaviour of hornets, focusing on the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia).
Ranked by BBC wildlife as the world’s sixth most dangerous insect, the Asian giant hornet has been in the spotlight since 2019, following its invasion in Washington, USA and British Columbia in Canada. These special appearances earned it a dramatic yet very popular nickname- ‘the murder hornet’.
How murderous are they really? Something to be studied from their homeland– East, South and Southeast Asia. And so, my journey to study the hornets took me to Nagaland in India- the land of hills; the home of the Nagas and the State with the highest diversity of hornets in India. I am going to look at how the indigenous Naga people are co-existing with these many ‘murderous’ hornets!
Figs: 1. Zapami village, Phek district, Nagaland with the community forest in the background; 2. Community forest of Zelome village, Phek district, Nagaland. In frame (left to right): Mr. Thejavikho Chase, Prof. Seirian Sumner, the author & Dr. Cintia Akemi Oi
Stepping into the home of hornets
When I arrived in Nagaland, it was not just the dreamy landscape that fascinated me, but the way of life of the Naga people which is deeply rooted in nature. People here live a highly content life buffered away from the hustle and bustle of the lifestyle of rest of India. The social structure of Nagaland is such that the State is divided into several districts and each district is inhabited by one indigenous community that is spread across a number of villages.
My research on the ecology and behaviour of hornets took me to two of major indigenous communities of Nagaland- the Angami and the Chakesang, residing in Kohima and Phek district respectively. All the villages in Kohima district use Tenyidie language. Phek district is split into three regions based on the language spoken- accordingly we have Chezha, Poula and Chokri regions, where the resident Chakesang communities speak these languages.
Insects, especially social wasps, are not just part of the landscape here- they are part of the culture. Among them, hornets of the genus Vespa hold a special place. Within Vespa, its Vespa mandarinia, the infamous murder hornet that is the most revered insect. Far from being seen as pests or dangerous insects, they are a prized delicacy and a source of livelihood. Over generations, the Naga people have mastered the art of semi-domesticating these insects, harvesting them with traditional methods and selling them thus generating a substantial part of their annual income.
Figs 2&3: Conducting ethnographic surveys in the field
People here don’t panic on seeing a hornet, instead they approach them with care and skills backed by the age-old traditional knowledge. In the villages buffered from the rest of the world, I saw men and women talk about hornets with pride. They know where the nests of these hornets are, even if it is ~10km deep in the community forests. They know when the larvae of the hornets have hatched and when workers and reproductives have emerged. They would follow the hornets as they emerge out of hibernation and locate their initial hives, which are then relocated into the convenient location inside the community forests. The hives are now left to grow and harvested during September-October. Harvested hives of Vespa mandarinia are sold for prices as high as 500£.
The village life of these communities is so intertwined with hornets that they even rear hornets on the roof of their houses. To me, this was the beginning of learning a new approach- one where ‘respect’ and ‘use’ go hand in hand.
My PhD: more than just hornet ecology
When I began this PhD, I thought it would be all about hornets; their behaviour and ecology. I never imagined it would also be about people. But spending the last two months with these communities in the hills of Nagaland have made me understand that here, the boundary between human and insect worlds blurs. Hornets are not just a biological species here; they are an integral part of the indigenous culture. Studying them means listening to farmers, hunters, elders, and even children. It also means learning local names, customs, and understanding this culture. These cultural practices hold ecological wisdom that scientific papers often miss. They tell us when hornets are most aggressive, how the weather affects them, and how to avoid provoking them.
Fig 4: Learning about hornet ecology from the communities
My time here has made me wonder how much these people already know about hornets, and how much they’re willing to teach if you just listen. As I collect data on hornet colonies, I’m also collecting stories- of stings, escapes, harvests, and rituals. And in doing so, I’m learning that my PhD is an essential bridge; not just between London and Nagaland, but between two ways of knowing the world: one through scientific field notes, and the other through lived experience.