First pic of giant hornets that killed 28 people emerges

Pictures of the giant hornets that killed 28 people in central China have emerged online.

Hundreds of people have been stung by swarms of the flying insects in Shaanxi province, with more than 230 people being stung in the city of Ankang alone, where there have been 18 deaths.

The Asian Giant Hornet's sting is highly toxic and can lead to anaphylactic shock and renal failure. Pictures of the creature have been uploaded to Imgur.

According to The Sun, the insect can grow up to four inches long.

People who have been killed include a mother and son who died after being surrounded by a swarm, reports the Metro. A 68-year-old man was also killed after a nest was knocked over by a strong gust of wind,

A large number of attacks have been reported on villagers who work in rural areas. Residents in the village of Sanping have been warned to remain 'vigilant' over the threat, especially when out in the woods.

Thousands of hornets can live in a single nest at one time.

Many of the victims were chased for hundreds of yards by the hornets before being stung up to 200 times.

The Mirror reports that a 55-year-old woman was stung more than 200 times during an attack which lasted three minutes, leaving her incontinent and stuck in hospital for more than a month.

Hospitals in the area have been inundated with hornet victims in recent months, according to Zhou Yuanhong, a health official in Angkang.

He said that a handful of people are killed every year in the region by hornets, especially in forested areas, but that this year has been unusually severe, possibly because of weather changes.

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