In Japan, it is called himesuzumebachi (姫雀蜂, literally: princess sparrow wasp) The workers have a body length of 24–32 mm; the queen is about 37 mm.

They are only slightly smaller than the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) which has a body length of about 30–55 mm.

It is found in Asia in places such as China (mainland), Hong Kong, India (northeast part), Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, Nepal, Siberia in Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam (north and central part).

The larvae of Vespa ducalis basically only eat the pupae and larvae of paper wasps and so adult Vespa ducalis will often attack the nests of paper wasps and hunt the larvae, while ignoring the adults.

They will habitually return to the same target colony to raid it.