Stats

Lifespan

Annual

Size

Large

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Cathemeral

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Europe and Asia

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Venom

Status

Common

About

The European Hornet is Europe's largest eusocial wasp, with queens reaching 35 mm — nearly twice the size of a yellow jacket. Unlike most wasps, it forages actively at night and is often drawn to lit windows.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Vespidae

Genus

Vespa

Species

Vespa crabro