European hornet
Despite its size it is calmer than the common wasp and rarely stings away from its nest.
| Where | Woodland, parkland, old trees, lit windows at night |
|---|---|
| Size | 18 to 35 mm |
| When | April to October |
It is one of the few wasps that also hunts after dark, which is why it turns up at lit windows.
It nests in hollow trees, lofts and bird boxes, chewing wood into the brown paper of its nest.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, Yellow
Active
Day and night
To people
Take care
Stings if its nest is disturbed; calmer than it looks
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Smaller and black and yellow, without the hornet's brown-red head and thorax.
Questions
Is the European hornet dangerous to people?
Take care. Stings if its nest is disturbed; calmer than it looks.
When can you see the European hornet?
The European hornet can be seen from April to October, by day and at night.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Judy Watson, Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø/The Danish Agency for Green Land Use and Aquatic Environment (SGAV), CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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Bees, wasps and ants›Wasps and hornets›Vespa
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.