Abstract
This study presents new distributional data for the oriental hornet Vespa orientalis Linnaeus, 1761 in the Ulytau, Mangystau and Aktobe oblasts, in Central and West Kazakhstan. Specific locality records of this social wasp are provided. Now for Central Kazakhstan two species of the genus Vespa Linnaeus, 1758 have been documented – the common hornet Vespa crabro Linnaeus, 1758 and the oriental hornet. The list of arthropods found in oriental hornet nests is provided. As a result of the study, 79 species of invertebrates belonging to 70 genera, 31 families, 11 orders and 4 classes were noted in the nests of the oriental hornet. A case of illness and death of V. orientalis larvae from infection with the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link and the death of a wintering female infected by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. has been reported. Additionally, traces of a bacterial infection of unknown etiology were detected in some larvae; these samples are currently undergoing further investigation.