#3505 · 🐝 bees, wasps & ants

European Hornet

🇳🇱 Europese hoornaar ·Vespa crabro

🐝 Bees, wasps & ants 📍 in the Netherlands

8 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

1. © Jakob Fahr · CC BY-NC 4.0
2. © Ryszard · CC BY-NC 4.0
3. © Alain C. · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
4. © Jürgen Mangelsdorf · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
5. © André Nagelhout · CC BY-NC 4.0
6. © Scot Magnotta · CC BY-NC 4.0
7. © katunchik · CC BY 4.0
8. © Arnold Wijker · CC BY-NC 4.0

what is it?

The European hornet ( Vespa crabro ) is the largest eusocial wasp in Europe and the largest vespine in North America. It is actually the only true hornet found in North America. V. crabro is usually regarded as a pest by those humans who come into contact with it. Vespines, like V. crabro , are known for making nests out of surrounding plant materials and other fibers to create intricate paper nests. Unlike most other vespines, reproductive suppression involves...

base stats

NL sightings 1,300iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 85,165iNaturalist observations

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

Spotted 1,300 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: the #3 most seen of the bees, wasps & ants in NL.
85,165 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).