European and Asian Hornet

Following the many reports about the Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina in the media recently, we were worried when we first glimpsed this hornet at the beginning of October 2017, especially as it is the first hornet we have ever seen in our locality but we recognised it as a European Hornet, Vespa crabro.
We have seen them much more frequently in recent years.

A beautiful animal, much larger than wasps and bees - dark chocolate and chestnut brown, bright yellow on the head and abdomen - the Asian Hornet is blacker with less yellow. It was interesting to see these European Hornets hunting and taking honey bees at the rate of one every three minutes.