European Hornet

The European hornet is the largest social wasp native to Europe and is the only true hornet species (genus Vespa) established in North America, where it was introduced in the 1800s and is now widespread in the eastern United States. Like other members of the family Vespidae, it lives in social colonies built around a papery nest, though its coloring, with a notably reddish-brown thorax rather than solid black, sets it apart from smaller yellowjacket relatives.

Colonies are typically founded in enclosed cavities such as hollow trees, barns, or wall voids, giving the nest more protection from weather than the exposed paper nests built by some other wasps. European hornets are active foragers and predators, capturing a range of insect prey to feed their developing larvae, while also being drawn to sap flows and ripening fruit later in the season.

Despite its intimidating size, the European hornet is generally considered a beneficial predator within its ecosystem, helping to control populations of many plant-feeding insects, and it is known for unusual nocturnal activity, including flying and foraging after dark, which is unusual among social wasps.

• Notably large body size compared to yellowjackets, with a reddish-brown to chestnut thorax and head.
• Abdomen is yellow with brown or blackish markings, often appearing as irregular stripes or teardrop-shaped spots rather than crisp bands.
• Wings are amber-tinted and translucent, folded along the back at rest.
• Legs are reddish-brown, and the overall body has a stouter, more robust build than smaller wasps.
• Lookalikes include yellowjackets (much smaller, solid black-and-yellow) and other large hornets found elsewhere in the world; the combination of large size and reddish-brown thorax is distinctive within its native and introduced range.

Native to Europe and temperate Asia, and introduced to the eastern United States, where it is established from the Midwest to the East Coast. Nests are built in enclosed cavities such as hollow trees, unused barns, sheds, and wall voids, typically in wooded or semi-wooded areas near open foraging grounds. Active from spring through fall, with colonies peaking in size in late summer, and workers notable for continuing activity into evening and after dark.

European hornets live in annual social colonies founded by a single queen each spring, similar to other vespid wasps, with workers cooperating to expand the nest and rear brood. They are active predators of a wide variety of insects, including large prey such as beetles and other wasps, which they capture and process to feed larvae, while also feeding on tree sap and ripening or damaged fruit as adults. Unlike most wasps, European hornets frequently remain active after dark, sometimes flying toward lit windows at night, and colonies defend the nest if disturbed.

A mated, overwintered queen emerges in spring and builds a small initial nest, laying eggs that develop through complete metamorphosis from egg to larva to pupa to adult worker. Workers then take over foraging and nest building, allowing colonies to grow through summer, with new queens and males produced in late summer or early fall. After mating, the old colony including the founding queen dies off with cold weather, while newly mated queens overwinter individually and found new colonies the following spring.