Hornets invade the UK

Seen a couple, no idea what type they are...pretty scary though!

They're hornets. Pretty common hereabouts in Suffolk and really interesting creatures. They look a lot worse than they actually are; seldom sting and IIRC only the females are able to give you a jab.

We had a large nest of them in the eaves a couple of years ago & were happy to leave them in peace. when it got really hot the hornets would come down to our pond, slurp up some water, then use this to cool the nest down by gradually spitting it out whilst rapidly buzzing their wings.

I get the feeling they're becoming more common in the UK.

Sounds like the town centre on a Friday and Saturday night where I live.

G

I suppose you get women like flies then Graeme.

Hornets have always been around and, as Tony said, they aren't as aggressive as wasps.  One flew into our house a few weeks ago but was easy to remove with a jar and piece of card. I'll always remember visiting a friend when I was growing up in Devon. There was a hornet in the window and his grandfather, a farm labourer with hard calloused hands, just picked it up and threw it outside. Not something I would try.

It looks like a European Hornet.

But then it's unlikely to be an African Hornet as they are non-migratory.

You can tell the difference by checking if it's carrying any coconuts.

The air-speed velocity of unladen European hornets is much higher, this is why African hornets aren't migratory.

I saw a Mantidfly the other day (in East Anglia). Scared the life out of me, but looked it up and they are harmless.

Nasty creatures. If there is every a purpose that a Naim box was designed for other than music, it is squashing evil bugs into oblivion. Anything with more than 4 legs in fact is welcome to see the business end of a HiCap.

That's not very Zen of you, is it? No doubt hornets will think you're a nasty creature.

We get quite a number here in the garden - they just love a cotoneaster that's normally alive with Bees, but I've noticed there's usually at least one hornet on there whenever I go to check. Numbers do appear to be on the rise year on year.

And well done Debs - I was trying to find a suitable simile for the noise they make as they fly - Doodlebug is spot on.

Apparently Asian Hornets were accidentally imported into France, where they've taken up residence.

The Bee Keepers don't like them because the Asian Hornet is an aggressive predator to honey bees, and can consume 50 bees a day.

I think you maybe right about my photos being a European Hornet, but i've sent photos off for clarification and to report the sighting to the British Bee Keepers Association.

Debs

It's definitely a European hornet Debs. The Asiatic hornet has a much darker abdomen.

Half an hour after sending i received this reply:

Thank you so much for your e-mail.  We receive lots of reports of native species that look like Asian hornets and I am pleased to say that the photograph you have sent is a native species – the European Hornet, Vespa crabro. 

 

European Hornet activity tends to be most noticed in the spring, when queens start becoming active after overwintering and start searching for suitable nesting sites, and then again in late summer when colonies start to disperse searching for food etc  - at this time of year they are often seen during the night as well as the day as they are attracted to light in moderate numbers.

 

More information on this fantastic native insect is available here: http://www.bwars.com/sites/www...rabro-info-sheet.pdf. 

 

 

Thank you again for your report – such reports are extremely useful for non-native species surveillance.  Please do report future sightings of concern by either e-mailing this address or using the on-line form:

 

http://www.brc.ac.uk/risc/aler...species=asian_hornet

 

 

For an overview of the Asian Hornet and its status in GB please see:

 

https://secure.fera.defra.gov....t.cfm?speciesId=3826

 

 

For detailed information and help on identification of the Asian Hornet please also see the following factsheet:

 

https://secure.fera.defra.gov....dDocument.cfm?id=698

 

Very best wishes, Marc Botham

 

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

Benson Lane,

Crowmarsh Gifford

Wallingford

Oxfordshire OX10 8BB

That's a very pleasing response with plenty of information to follow up on. I like insects and find some of them fascinating. We have a nest of large bumblebees in between a couple of railway sleepers and it's great watching them come and go. On the other side is a pair of cheeky field mice. Wild life should be encouraged in our gardens.

About this time last year i had 'buff-tailed'  bumblebees nest in one of my compost bins - so i left that bin in peace.

The Buff-tails were very friendly and welcome and very good pollinators, incidentally my pear and apple trees had a bumper crop last autumn : )

You show much wisdom James. Fools we were for not heeding your advice.

I'm a great insect fan also. Being in an old cottage we get lots of spiders, some pretty spectacular! I just leave them be & let them go on their merry way. A hornet came zooming into our garage yesterday & I just ushered it out with my hands. It seemed grateful but it's difficult to tell what insects are really thinking.

Incase any of you missed this gem.  BBC's Modern Times 'The Great British Garden Watch' on iPlayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/e...british-garden-watch

G