I think I've just seen a European hornet...

[MrsWembley]

...up at my allotment. A quick google has identified it, I think - it didn't hang around.

Someone up here has bees. Should I notify anyone? Are they really that nasty?

No, they aren't that nasty (unless you are a bee!) - they're quite docile if undisturbed, in spite of the media panic about them!

If you're sure it was definitely a Euro hornet and not one of our large native species (I say this because I find insect id nightmarishly hard, you may well be far more expert than me), you could try telling these guys: www.nonnativespecies.org/home/index.cfm. I can't find anything on European hornets on their site, but they seem like the kind of place that would be interested!!

Thank-you for pointing me in that direction:)

It was twice the size, easily, of your average wasp or hornet and was an unusual yellow, too, which is what made me notice it. I always have a bed of wild flowers, as do most of the others up there, so I'm used to things flying around, but this was enough to stop me in my tracks!

European hornets (Vespa crabro) are native to the UK and quite widespread and common.

You see, now I'm confused. It was definitely not a common hornet, whatever their Latin name is (as nothing Dr Google is throwing up right now will tell me), and I have never before seen anything that size, shape and colouring.

The European hornet is also known as the common hornet, and it is the only species of hornet we (normally!) have in Britain. This pic shows its size relative to other bees and wasps - unfortunately our own common wasp isn't shown but the German yellowjacket is slightly larger than a common wasp.

There is a hornet-mimic hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) which looks like this.

Or there is the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia), which is very big and alarming, but as far as I know has never been recorded in the UK (though has been seen in France). It looks like this.

Gerund - I did not know they were native! I'm getting confused with all the alarmist stories about Asian hornets I think! Thanks for sorting me out on that.

We see hornets quite often, though none this year now I come to think of it. They do look large and alarming and sound like a B52! They also can fly at night, which surprised us once when we camped late one eve within 10m of a nest and a few came over to investigate our campfire

Even more confused!

So what is the insect that is about the same size as a wasp and similar colouring, if slightly subdued in comparison, that I have been told all my life is a hornet? And if hornets are common, why is this the first time I have seen one of these enormous buggers, in spite of the fact that most of my life has been spent out of doors?

Same size as a wasp and similar colouring may be a hoverfly.
Hornets are much bigger than wasps, and have waspy faces. Hoverflies are a similar size and have fly-ey faces IYSWIM

There was a stupid scaremongering tale in the local paper last week about someone seeing a 'killer hornet' with a photo. The photo was of a hoverfly.

Gerund has the same links I used when I fired off a stroppy email to the paper to tell them to get their facts right.

I saw 4 hornets on Sunday at a local park. They did absolutely nothing other than to sunbathe on a wooden post for a bit, then fly high up into a tree.

No, I know what a hoverfly looks like - I was actually talking to DD about them recently and how harmless they are.

This was noticeable due to its size and colour - about two inches and not that lovely bright yellow you get with a wasp or bumble bee, rather a muted orangey yellow.

Hmm...

I think you need to go out with a camera then :)

^ sorry, posted too soon. If you get a pic, should be able to get an id for you.

Are you thinking of a wood-wasp? They're only slightly bigger than a normal wasp and same colouring.

Hornets are noticeably bigger than a normal wasp. You have no doubt when you see one because they are huge and the noise they make is louder too.

Ok, yes, a little bigger, but they're still yellow. This was not yellow!

Oh, it was definitely not yellow...

I saw this at the weekend, it was a good bit bigger than a wasp but not the two inches being quoted in the tabloids. It was on the patio sunbathing.

Hard to tell if that's what I saw, it was constantly on the move. I just know from all the Google images it wasn't like this...

The more I look at the photos on Google, the more I wonder if what I saw was this...

eeeeewwwww I'm getting the heebie jeebies and want to run even though its only a picture!

Wood wasp has a huge long stinger thingy on its arse, so would be fairly easy to spot.

The BWARS site has some good, clear pictures and id info.
www.bwars.com/index.php?q=content/beginners-bees-wasps-and-ants

I regularly have hornets in my garden and sometimes in the house.
They bother me far less than wasps, but are easily four or five times bigger than a wasp and more of a mustardy yellow and brown.

I'm interested to see what the conclusion is because I also had a HUGE hornet type creature in my garden. It was orange and black and about 2 inches long.

It scared the life out of me and I ushered the children inside very quickly indeed! I haven't seen anything like it before or since. I know what normal hornets look like too.

Ooh, hornet-expert thread! Does anyone know what those huge black (with a hint of orange/yellow) hornets are that dive-bomb us in the pool in S France? I've always wondered but my French isn't that strong so no one can tell me.

They're aggressive bastards, I know that much. Saw someone carted off to hospital after being stung by one several times, for no apparent reason.

Ha, saw my question has been answered up thread. Asian hornets. Evil fuckers.

Nonnainglese and Esme, whereabouts in the country are you, north or south?

I'm in the South East.