Wasp, European hornet or Asian hornet? How to tell them apart

"Wasp" and "hornet" are often used for the same thing, but in the UK they mean three quite different insects: the common wasps that come to picnics, the native European hornet, and the invasive Asian hornet. Knowing which you are looking at decides what you should do next.

01Common wasps

The wasps behind most nests around homes are the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German wasp (Vespula germanica), which look almost identical. Workers are around 1.2 to 1.7cm long and queens around 2cm. They are bright yellow and black, smooth and shiny, with a clearly pinched waist.

Adult wasps live mostly on sugar, from nectar, fruit and the sweet secretion of their own larvae. They hunt insects to feed the larvae. Late in summer, when there are no more larvae to feed them, the workers turn to fruit, drinks and bins, which is why wasps are a nuisance at that time of year. Nests are papery, grey and can hold several thousand wasps by late summer.

02The European hornet

The European hornet (Vespa crabro) is the UK's largest social wasp and its only native hornet. Workers are around 2.5cm long and queens up to about 3.5cm. The front of the body is brown and reddish-brown, and the abdomen is yellow with brown bands rather than black ones. It has a deep, loud buzz.

• Behaviour. Hornets hunt other insects and are much less interested in your food than common wasps. Away from the nest they are generally calm. Close to it, they defend it hard and can sting more than once.
• At night. Unlike most wasps, they fly after dark and are drawn to lit windows.
• Nests. Hollow trees are their natural site, but they also use lofts, wall cavities, chimneys, sheds and bird boxes. A colony usually runs to a few hundred hornets rather than thousands.
• Season. Most noticeable from late spring into autumn.

The median wasp, a large black and yellow species, is sometimes mistaken for a hornet. It is smaller than a European hornet and black and yellow rather than brown. Our European hornet guide covers the species in more detail.

03The Asian hornet

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is an invasive, non-native species that preys heavily on honey bees and other pollinators. It is smaller than the European hornet, though larger than a common wasp, and much darker:

• a dark, mostly black or very dark brown body
• a single yellow-orange band near the end of the abdomen
• legs that are yellow at the ends
• an orange face

Asian hornets often build large nests high in trees in summer, but can also nest lower down, in sheds, hedges and outbuildings, particularly in spring.

04If you think you have seen an Asian hornet

Do not try to deal with it or its nest, and do not disturb it. If you can do so safely, take a photo. Report suspected sightings to the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat through the Asian Hornet Watch app, which arranges the official response. If you call us about a suspected Asian hornet, we will point you to that reporting route first.

05Side by side

• Size. Common wasp, smallest. Asian hornet, larger. European hornet, the largest.
• Colour. Common wasp, bright yellow and black. European hornet, brown and yellow. Asian hornet, mostly dark with one yellow band and yellow-tipped legs.
• Food. Common wasps come to sweet food and drink in late summer. Both hornets mainly hunt insects.
• Nest size. Common wasp nests reach thousands of wasps. European hornet nests usually hold a few hundred.
• Temperament. All three will defend a nest. European hornets are the least likely to bother you away from it.

06Do hornet stings hurt more?

A hornet sting is often described as more painful than a wasp sting, and it can swell and itch for a day or more. Like wasps, hornets can sting repeatedly. For anyone allergic, any sting can cause anaphylaxis: call 999 if someone has difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or feels faint. Our guide to wasp stings covers basic first aid.