MATERIAL. Russia: Kunashir Island, Andreevskii kordon, 1-22.X 2022, 6 ♂, 11 workers.
DISTRIBUTION. Originally transpalearctic species, but introduced into North America: Canada, USA (Carpernter, Kojima, 1997) and recently extended to Guatemala (European hornet, 2023). In the Pacific Islands it was known formerly from Sakhalin and Japan.
NOTES. The species was collected mainly by bait traps together with similar and more rare Vespa simillima Smith, 1868.