wasp hornet or worse

[openspaceman]

Can anyone identify this feasting on a rotten pear. I'm a bit worried it is not a common hornet.

[Paul in the woods]

That's a common Eurpoean hornet, i.e. a native and nothing to worry about.

 

They are larger than the Asian Hornet's us beekeepers are worried about and have more orange and yellow in them. The Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina, has a mostly black body.

 

This might be helpful: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/downloadDocument.cfm?id=646

 

I currently have a hornet nest in the garden so see them on a daily basis.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Paul in the woods

[openspaceman]

5 minutes ago, Paul in the woods said:

That's a common Eurpoean hornet, i.e. a native and nothing to worry about.

 

They are larger than the Asian Hornet's us beekeepers are worried about and have more orange and yellow in them. The Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina, has a mostly black body.

 

This might be helpful: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/downloadDocument.cfm?id=646

 

I currently have a hornet nest in the garden so see them on a daily basis.

Thanks Paul, I thought the brown band on the abdomen by the thorax was a bit too wide for a common hornet. Here's a better picture to confirm before I let her go.

[Paul in the woods]

I think they are similar to wasps and bees in that they can be fairly variable in their markings. As yours has several yellow segments on it's abdomen and it's thorax and top band is a dark browny orange rather than black I'm sure it's a native.

[Rough Hewn]

Looks like a wasp.
You can’t mistake a euro hornet.
They sound like a moped when they fly. [emoji51]

[Stubby]

That's a Hornet for me .  Orange markings with that sorta crown shape were the abdomen joins the thorax . 

[Peasgood]

Just looks like a big wasp to me. Saw a queen wasp today for the first time this autumn so they are about.

I have never seen a hornet.

 

[openspaceman]

58 minutes ago, Stubby said:

That's a Hornet for me .  Orange markings with that sorta crown shape were the abdomen joins the thorax . 

Yes she was a hornet but I have seldom seen one close up and not flying. She had a damaged wing and I'm not sure if she managed to fly off.

[doobin]

9 hours ago, openspaceman said:

Yes she was a hornet but I have seldom seen one close up and not flying. She had a damaged wing and I'm not sure if she managed to fly off.

Sorry- it might have been the one I chased out of my yard with a flamethrower earlier yesterday...

[ABtrees]

Loads of hornets this year (but far fewer Asians over here). They do come in all colours, shapes and sizes though. First pic : three of them having a bit of a moment on top of the 'wasp trap.  Second pic: emptying trap after just one week - mainly hornets and (unfortunately) a couple of big moths.