Have you seen a hornet?
By Charlotte Owen, Conservation Officer
Don’t panic! It’s almost certainly our native European Hornet (pictured above), a friendly giant and welcome garden visitor. Despite appearances they are rarely aggressive and much more docile than their smaller and angrier wasp cousins. They hunt many of the insects often considered garden ‘pests’ and pollinate flowers when they stop to drink nectar. You can read more about our native hornet here: https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/european-hornets
It’s the non-native Asian Hornet we need to look out for. Sightings have increased this year but in general, they are still relatively rare. The Asian Hornet is an unwelcome guest, accidentally imported from China to Europe in 2004 via cargo ships. It was first recorded in the UK in 2016 and probably arrived here from France. Given its natural home range, it would never arrive in the UK by natural means and since it is a voracious predator of other insects and invertebrates, particularly the Honey Bee, it is considered bad news from a conservation perspective.
So, how do you tell the difference? The Asian Hornet is smaller than our native species and much darker, with distinctive yellow legs:
Above images are taken from https://www.nonnativespecies.org/assets/Uploads/ID_Vespa_velutina_Asian_Hornet_5.0-1.pdf and are not actual size here
Report Asian Hornet sightings
The Asian Hornet is an Alert Species and all suspected sightings should be reported as soon as possible via:
- Asian Hornet Watch app for iPhone (external link)
- Asian Hornet Watch app for android (external link)
- Online recording form (external link)
Asian Hornets are most active in August and September, and will not be seen over winter.
View Asian Hornet sightings
Sightings are logged by Defra here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asian-hornet-uk-sightings
And also by the National Bee Unit here: https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/about-us/beekeeping-news/2023-asian-hornet-rolling-updates/
According to the National Bee Unit, so far in 2023 there have been 43 Asian Hornet nests found in 36 locations, including one in East Sussex.
Find out more
Further information, posters and ID guides are available on the GB Non-native Species Secretariat website: https://www.nonnativespecies.org/non-native-species/information-portal/view/3826
Take Action for Wildlife
With so many species on the red list and at risk of extinction, we need to do all we can to stand up for wildlife. One of the best actions you can take to help is by joining us as a member or making a donation.
Comments
Just found 4 European Hornets in our lodge in Cornwall. Have never seen them before. Alarming size and at first we were concerned they were Asian Hornets. However, your website was most helpful in identifying them correctly. We have managed to get them outside so will not have our sleep disturbed by their rather loud buzzing!
19 Sep 2023 21:30:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Glad to hear we were helpful! Thanks for letting us know
For the past week we have had at least 6 European hornets visit our kitchen and white conservatory windows as soon as we put lights on inside or outside the house which are not modern bright lights. They have found ways to get into the conservatory through the unsealed roof/wall point under the soffit. They just love any lights, and they sit together tapping the windows which is intimidating. So far we have managed to remove them without either them or us being harmed. We have woods to the side of us and assume they have their home there.
24 Sep 2023 19:10:00
I have many European hornets in my garden every year, they like the apples and biodiversity in my garden. They predate insects on daisy and umbellifers and around lights that come on when dark. Lovely creatures I welcome and as you say very mild mannered. Haven’t seen
The Asian hornet thankfully. We used to keek bees 7 years ago so always looked out for them but thankfully just the good guys (European)
28 Sep 2023 10:42:00
we have seen 5 or 6 European hornets around the apple tree in our front garden, this August, in West Sussex.
28 Sep 2023 10:45:00
I saw a European Hornet in our back garden in E. Sussex, just outside Brighton, last week
28 Sep 2023 11:32:00
We were travelling to Norfolk to weeks ago and at Barton Mills, a European hornet flew towards me. It seemed huge. I waved it away. Certainly was a bit frightening, I have never seen one that size and had a huge orange head.
28 Sep 2023 11:52:00
I had one Asian hornet in Bolney last week.
28 Sep 2023 12:40:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Please report your sighting here: https://risc.brc.ac.uk if you haven't done so already, thank you
We always get hornets around our house in Northiam. I usually see them earlier in the season. I’m away from home right now so not sure if they are about. By coincidence just saw on here in Montenegro!
28 Sep 2023 14:16:00
Been worried by hornets I thought were Asian. Thanks for intel to determine the difference.
28 Sep 2023 14:27:00
Spotted a hornet in my garden at Ifold West Sussex.
It seemed long and fairly lean to me which has not been mentioned anywhere,but definitely did not have yellow legs
28 Sep 2023 15:52:00
We had been getting hornets regularly coming into the house in the evenings earlier this summer, first time in 30 years ? Was curious as to, why now? At the begging of September I discovered that we had a nest of European hornets in our soffit ! It took me a while to identify them correctly, there are a load of conflicting images and descriptions on the internet, but the clue was in the after dark activity, apparently the Asian hornets aren’t particularly active in the evening.
28 Sep 2023 15:59:00
I saw some sort of hornet last year on my grapes at the back of Brighton, a couple of roads from the Downs. At the time, I didn’t know what it was. I just thought it was a wasp that had grown abnormally. I know now & hope not to see another!*
28 Sep 2023 16:27:00
My hornets are alive and well though not seeming as numerous as previous years. They are definitely Europeans, we have had them for 20 years.
28 Sep 2023 18:39:00
I have many European hornets in my garden every year, they like the apples and biodiversity in my garden. They predate insects on daisy and umbellifers and around lights that come on when dark. Lovely creatures I welcome and as you say very mild mannered. Haven’t seen
The Asian hornet thankfully. We used to keek bees 7 years ago so always looked out for them but thankfully just the good guys (European)
28 Sep 2023 19:33:00
I’ve had 2 of these in my house in Burgess Hill
28 Sep 2023 22:14:00
We had a European hornet in our garden and was dismayed to see it attacking honey bees on flowers and flying off with them! It came back 3 times and took a bee, definitely don’t want them in our garden!
29 Sep 2023 00:05:00
We have a European Hornets nest at the end of our garden in West Sussex which is still very active. The nest is in an old black compost bin which I previously filled with dry leaves. It’s near a small stream, shrubs and trees. They fly past me, although I am able to have a quick look.
29 Sep 2023 19:01:00
Hi. I’m pretty sure I saw an Asian hornet in my garden this June. My garden is in Barcombe, just outside Lewes.
Thanks
Richard
29 Sep 2023 20:08:00
Hi. I’m pretty sure I saw an Asian hornet in my garden this June. My garden is in Barcombe, just outside Lewes.
Thanks
Richard
01 Oct 2023 09:51:00
I see hundreds of hornets every year. They really are my favourite insect . They definitely display an intelligence that even a human can relate to .
When their nest is small they seem to dislike giving its position away and appear to hold back from flying to and from it. This isn’t the case later in the Summer when the nest is stronger .
It is true that when away from the nest hornets are usually quite benign, but never take liberties with a nest . They’ll only stand so much close observation . Even if they seem content to be watched they’ll be put on the alert . Quite often it’s the next person or animal that passes the nest that bears the brunt of an attack . So yes , when foraging hornets are pretty benign but treat their nests with healthy respect .
02 Oct 2023 07:18:00
There is a caverty in an old oak tree in a wood near where I live in Battle which was occupied by European hornets last year, two squirrels during the winter and spring, and this summer by a colony of social wasps. Clearly the landlord only offers a short term lease!
03 Oct 2023 07:25:00
I’m a beekeeper in the Horsham area and see European Hornets visiting my beehives most summers and usually recognise the deep sound of the hornet compared to the honey bee. They take the odd honey bee, as there can be up to 70.000 bees in the hive they have little impact. Most beekeepers see the E Hornet as a lovely insect and respect them as they do not attack the hives on mass. The Asian Hornet is a different story and attack our beehives on mass and has a massive effect on honey bees and other insects. Beekeepers via the BBKA/ APHA have built up a UK wide AHAT network to report and deal with sightings/nests. I am the Asian Hornet Action team coordinator for Central Sussex Beekeepers.
04 Oct 2023 07:40:00
As a beekeeper, I’d like to thank you for a concise and accurate description of the differences between these hornets and where the public can report any sightings.
The beekeeping community have been left to take matters into their own hands and we are learning from the French and Jersey communities in how to deter Asian Hornets from our hives and how to track and trace them.
The general public will be invaluable in reporting correct sightings so that DEFRA/NBU can destroy the nests.
Thank you
05 Oct 2023 07:32:00
I was relieved reading the information that the insect I had at my stable yard is a European hornet
I looked it up as I’ve never seen a big insect close up
I’m in pitsea basildon
06 Oct 2023 18:02:00
I found the article on the differences in the European and Asian hornets was so interesting.
13 Nov 2023 18:54:00
Please can you give as much prominence to the Asian Hornet threat to the UK as possible please.
Spring is the most important time of year as it provides opportunities to identify and track the Asian Hornets before the queens go on the make their secondary nests.
Regular articles on your website and in the magazine this spring will help to promote the importance of early identification. Thank you, Mark Pritchard (member)
16 Jan 2024 11:01:00
We just found one in our lounge. Cue panic, screaming and running around and that was just me!)
Anyway, ID confirmed as a European and safely released in the woods!!
(Dorset)
11 Apr 2024 20:03:00
Just seen what I think must have been a hornet . It was huge and more orange than yellow . I hope it was a European hornet , any ideas from my useless description !!
04 May 2024 14:15:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Sounds like an European Hornet, as their overall color appears more orange or reddish-brown compared to the brighter yellow of many wasp species.
Walking my dog in Brede High Woods just now and heard a very loud, very deep buzzing in the brambles. A very large hornet appeared and I thought at first it was the Asian variety. Your website identified it for me as the native European hornet. Thank you
15 May 2024 12:10:00
I heard this deep baritone buzz in my garden and was alarmed to see the largest yellow waspish looking insect. Thanks to your information I now know that it was a European Hornet Queen, being relieved that it wasn’t an Asian Hornet I am reassured by the information provided that the European cousin is not a threat to me or the bees. She is welcome, but not in my loft, too many buzzing lodgers in there in recent years.
21 May 2024 19:00:00
Just had a European Hornet fly in and, with a little encouragement, fly out again.
We live in St Leonard’s-on-Sea. 😎
25 May 2024 15:01:00
Just found my first ever European Hornet in my conservatory. Obviously as I had never seen such a large wasp behold I thought it was an Asian Hornet. Thankfully I checked your website and found out it’s perfectly fine! Never even knew such a thing existed! Thank you.
04 Jun 2024 11:49:00
Just found a European hornet in our kitchen and my husband freaked out thought it was an Asian one and sadly killed it.
06 Jun 2024 20:02:00
I’ve got a European Hornets nest in a shepherds hut I’m building… I obviously need to remove it from it’s current location, but I’d really rather avoid killing them. Can anyone offer any advice, please? All the pest control companies just want to exterminate.
04 Aug 2024 21:49:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
The answer is yes you can...but you'd need to be extremely careful! You're absolutely right that pretty much all 'pest control' companies will just exterminate them. We've heard reports of people moving wasp nests before. It needs to be at night (when they're least active) and also needs to be extremely slow and measured. Too quick and they'll become agitated. If that happens, they'll also not be able to find the new nest location once moved. You'd have to remove it incredibly slowly and to be honest, with entire body protection (e.g. a bee suit). This would definitely be necessary for anybody doing it for the first time. If they are roused, you're potentially going to be faced with tens and tens of angry individuals. You'd really be best trying to find a beekeeper to do it on your behalf. Appropriate forums might be your best answer on this one, possibly our Nature Table Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/group... . Or perhaps a wildlife rescue service, who'd be better equipped to answer. Good luck & be very careful!
We have a good number of European hornets here on the North Downs in Kent. I was quite terrified for a few years until the day one landed on the back of my T-shirt (of which I was unaware) whilst I was trimming my beard in the garden. Having come back inside, I thought the label on my shirt was poking out and tucked it back in three times before looking in a mirror and realising that I had a 4cm passenger. I removed the garment with some degree of urgency. Mrs Hornet was happy to be guided to the window. Ever since I actually find them quite beautiful – they are so large that you can see the markings very clearly and, as your article says, their behaviour is for more like bees than wasps. They fly at night, which can be alarming when they come to say hello in the evening. But ultimately very little threat to us unless you disturb a nest.
28 Aug 2024 20:12:00
Growing up in N Essex we had a European hornets nest in the barn and although they were spooky with their loud buzz we never got stung. I sometimes see them in my garden near N forest – saw one just now. I have watched them drink from the steps of our large paddling pool and avoid drowning in a way that no other insect does. V intelligent. I always have to google to remind myself what the differences are. Much fewer wasps this year than usual. Is that the wet?
01 Sep 2024 11:46:00
Found my first European Hornet nest this weekend it was high in the side of a dead oak tree where a branch had fallen, they were very busy coming and going.
03 Sep 2024 11:14:00
I have had European hornets visiting my back patio doors at night . 9 th September 2024
09 Sep 2024 14:37:00
I found the article on the differences in the European and Asian hornets was so interesting.
05 Feb 2025 11:41:00