Please help me identify this

[mr lfe]

Hello,
this thing fell out of my post box last night (Leicester), it was dosile due to the cold weather. it's more 45-50mm long and was a bit angry!




Thanks

[Laurence Clemons]

It is a Hornet Vespa crabro.

[demicav]

in horror, especially if he was angry. I'm a little scared of them.

[fbcpmike]

Thats a Hornet, probably a queen from the size although I cant see all the marking as being dead the abdomen has contracted slightly covering the markings.

We had one in the house over the Bank Holiday weekend, large and angry looking, the "B52" of the wasp world. I gather that in spite of the noise and attitude they will only sting when really provoked and less so than a wasp.

[mr lfe]

Thanks for the replies.

It wasn't dead it was rearing up as I put the ruler down to measure it - it sounded like a helicopter when it took off!


Should I be worried about having this near the house? I've done a bit of reading and it appears they're quite dosile.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Thanks for putting it up. Ive see one of these over the park twice but thought i was imagining the size of it! And as someone who is usually unphased by the biggest spider or cranefly, I did get rather scared!

[fbcpmike]

Originally Posted by mr lfe

Thanks for the replies. It wasn't dead it was rearing up as I put the ruler down to measure it - it sounded like a helicopter when it took off! Should I be worried about having this near the house? I've done a bit of reading and it appears they're quite dosile.

"This Hornets not dead - just resting".

Apparently quite calm as a species, but could not vouch for that once they build a nest and want to protect it.

[eucera]

Apparently quite calm as a species, but could not vouch for that once they build a nest and want to protect it.

I can speak from personal experience of Hornet nests. Hornets are (as has been mentioned here) docile insects, and only likley to weild their stings in extremis . As far as nesting goes, the nests are usually, but not always, constructed pretty high up in some sort of cavity. Anyone approaching too close (and I mean within a few metres) would be greeted by a couple of bouncers coming from the nest, who would fly up to, and around you, basically warning you to stay away. This is advice it is both hard and unwise to ignore.

That being said, we used to get occasional nests where I used to teach (east Dorset), and one year we had a nest that was active until late September, within 2 metres of a playing field and next to a path, and the nest entrance at head height. Only 2 children even knew it was there, and that wasn't until they were shown! It remained undiscovered by anyone until almost the end of the season.

Enjoy them. They look fearsome..... but are a lot less aggressive than many things.

Cheers, Stuart