In recent weeks an occasional Hornet would venture into our cottage, probably attracted to the light on a warm summer’s evening. I regularly see them each year, especially in the nearby orchard where they have nested in the past, but sightings recently have been increasing. Two weeks ago, I discovered the reason why: they have built a nest under the roof tiles above the kitchen. It is fascinating to watch them leave the nest, returning frequently with wood chips for nest building, or morsels of food. They do not bother me nor I them, as their nest site is up high and their flightpath is well above my head.
European hornets (Vespa crabro) are much larger than wasps, and can be more than 3cm long. Their body is chestnut brown, banded with yellow, and the head is large and also yellow. Although they can certainly sting if disturbed or when defending the nest, they are generally less aggressive than wasps. Their typical habitat is woodlands, parks and gardens, where they will usually nest in hollow trees. However, they can use buildings if high enough and they have been known to nest in bird boxes. They are able to remove fine strips of wood from fences or telegraph poles to create a paper pulp for building the nest.
Their diet is principally insectivorous, feeding on blowflies, house flies, caterpillars and grasshoppers. However, hornets are very fond of tree sap and will strip bark from a number of tree species to reach it. This behaviour, known as girdling, can affect the health of oak, ash, birch, lilac, box and rhododendron. I have witnessed this on an oak tree locally that was weeping sap, attracting large numbers of hornets and other insects.
If you do see a hornet, please make sure that it is a native European hornet. In 2016, the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) was first recorded in the UK. They are similar in size but the Asian hornet is black and yellow, with a black thorax. The problem with these alien creatures is that they predate on honey bees and will quickly decimate the contents of beehives. Any sightings should be reported to the GB Non-native Species Secretariat via the Asian Hornet Watch app or online using the link below.
For an insect so large and recognisable, it is somewhat surprising to find so few references in mythology, literature and music. The term ‘to stir up a hornet’s nest’ meaning to cause trouble or a commotion, dates from the early 1700s. The book ‘The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest’ by Stieg Larsson, published here in 2009, uses this metaphoric term admirably. Musically, Ralph Vaughan Williams overture ‘The Wasps’ imitates the sound of a swarm in flight; I like to think that would include our largest family member, the Hornet.
Nigel Hester, Trustee
