Our native hornet is the European hornet (Vespa crabro), Britain's largest insect of the wasp family although they are quite rare.
The smallest workers are bigger than the queens of most other species of wasp, and the queens are more than an inch long. They are easily identified by their size and their brown and orange-yellow stripes, whereas ordinary wasps are black and yellow. They live mostly in wooded areas in the south of England.

The hornet's life cycle is similar to that of the common wasp. They build their nests out of 'paper' made from wood strips and saliva in hollow trees, chimneys, wall cavities, holes in banks etc. Hornets have an unwarranted fearsome reputation because of their size and their loud hum, but in spite of that they are relatively docile and will rarely sting. If you are unlucky and are stung by a hornet, you will know about it!

The Asian hornet is a non-native species that is invading Europe. Please click here to read about this predator, how it could threaten our honeybees and what to do if you find one.
It is slightly smaller than our native hornet, and is easily identified by its yellow legs and much darker abdomen.

When hornets are busy gathering woody material for their nests they chew and can damage wooden fences and garden furniture, and damage trees by stripping bark. Paint or wood preservative discorages them but trees are harder to protect so sometimes the only solution is to locate and destroy the nest.
Contact Steve Smith at Cedar Pest (02380 739071 or 07976 425453. For full details please read our "Swarms and pest control" information