Don't stir up a hornet's nest: your guide to the European hornet

Written by Avon Pest ControlFirst published 2 August 2022Updated 9 November 2026

The European hornet is the UK's largest social wasp, and its size and deep buzz make it look far more dangerous than it is. Left alone, it is calmer than a common wasp. Disturb its nest, and that changes quickly.

The short version

• The European hornet (Vespa crabro) is a native species, brown and yellow rather than black and yellow.
• It rarely stings away from the nest, but will defend a nest hard if it is disturbed.
• The Asian hornet is a different, invasive species. Any sighting should be reported, not dealt with.

Identification

Knowing what you are dealing with comes first, because wasps, hornets and bees are often confused.

European hornets are big. Workers are around 2.5cm long and queens up to about 3.5cm, so they are noticeably larger than a common wasp. The body is brown and reddish-brown at the front, with a yellow abdomen marked with brown rather than black bands. Like wasps, they have a narrow waist between the thorax and abdomen. Bees are rounder and hairier, with no obvious waist.

Hornets hunt other insects, including flies, moths and wasps, and are seen mainly from late spring to early autumn. Unlike most wasps they also fly after dark, and they are drawn to lit windows. On a warm evening it is worth closing windows or blinds in a lit room.

European hornet or Asian hornet?

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is an invasive species that preys heavily on honeybees. It is smaller than the European hornet and much darker: a mostly black body with one yellow-orange band near the end of the abdomen, and legs that are yellow at the ends.

The Asian hornet is a notifiable species in the UK. If you think you have seen one, do not try to deal with it or its nest. Take a photo if it is safe to, and report it through the Asian Hornet Watch app or the GB Non-native Species Secretariat, which arranges the response.

Why control European hornets?

Most of the time you do not need to. A hornet nest well away from where people go can be left to die off naturally in autumn, as the colony is annual and the nest is not reused.

Control makes sense when a nest is close to a door, window, path, play area or workplace. Hornets defend their nest strongly and can sting more than once. A sting is painful and may swell and itch for a day or more. For anyone allergic to stings it can trigger anaphylaxis, which needs emergency treatment.

Hornets also strip bark from young twigs and stems, on shrubs such as lilac and ash, both to feed on sap and to build with. This is usually cosmetic damage rather than a reason on its own to treat a nest.

How do I know if I have a hornet problem?

The first sign is usually more hornets than normal around the house or garden, often coming and going along the same line. The second is the nest itself. Hornets build with chewed wood pulp, like wasps, making a brittle, papery nest that is often more brown and yellowish than a wasp nest.

They prefer hollow trees, but readily use lofts, wall cavities, chimneys, sheds and bird boxes. A colony usually holds a few hundred hornets, far fewer than a large wasp nest.

Is DIY nest removal safe?

No. A disturbed hornet nest will defend itself, and the nests are often at height or inside a structure. Do not block the entrance either: the hornets may chew their way out somewhere else, sometimes into the house. Keep people and pets away from the area and call us.

We confirm it is a European hornet rather than an Asian hornet before doing anything, then treat the nest at the entrance. If there is no risk to anyone, we will tell you so and suggest leaving it.

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