Overheard "Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC" No Japanese H right?

[HiveAtYourHome]

My understanding is that in the 19th century European Hornets (Vespa crabro) were accidentally brought here and those are our biggest hornet, but Japanese Hornets/Vespa mandarinia japonica (the huge bee killers) are NOT in the USA, nor any of the Asian Hornet subspecies of Vespa mandarinia.

So this woman whose husband died while mowing his lawn last month in North Carolina was mistaken in calling them Japanese hornets (or "Japanese" is the local NC term for European hornets (crabro))???

Or do we now have them in NC??? (I doubt but want to hear confirmation by someone who knows.)

I heard that an Asian wasp species is a new arrival here and that was confused for Japanese Hornets/Vespa mandarinia japonica (not by size or bee killing just that its Asian.)

I'm pretty sure people have been watching to much nature shows and love to think what they see is a bird sized hornet ready to come eat all their bees so I think she was using the non-proper name for the species, but as she recently lost her husband I didn't want to point it out to her.
Thanks

[westernbeekeeper]

Almost sounds goofy to me.

[WillT]

We have Sphecius speciosus in NC which are much larger than most Vespa crabro. They will make a meal of honey bees but they are nothing like the ones from Asia that target honey bee colonies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus

[tim adams]

We had a species of Asian Hornet move in to North Alabama in the mid to late 80's. I never saw them messing with my bees but they were mean and packed a BAD sting.
Tim Adams

[snl]

Japanese Hornets killed my husband last month in NC

Can I borrow them to work on my ex-wife. Will they still work if she lives in MD?

[Fishman43]

Special delivery for Mrs. SNL...