The European hornet (Vespa crabro) is the largest eusocial wasp native to Europe. It is also the only true hornet (genus Vespa) found in North America, having been introduced to the United States and Canada from Europe as early as 1840.

2024年7月19日 · European hornet workers can be up to an inch (25 mm) long while queens are slightly larger and can reach 1.3 inches (35 mm). They are amongst the largest wasps in the areas they occur. The head is red and yellow, the thorax is red and brown, while the abdomen is brown anteriorly and mostly yellow posteriorly with brown tear-drops.

But what are the fundamental differences between a European hornet queen vs. worker hornet? Why do they make such a splash in the Raleigh area each year? Keep reading, and we’ll give you the lowdown on everything you need to know about this impressive caste. European Hornets: Habitat and Characteristics

2024年5月9日 · The workers capture insects, bringing them back to the nest to feed the brood. Workers need more high-energy sugary foods such as sap and nectar, and hornet larvae are able to exude a sugary liquid which the workers can feed on.

Typical mass size for the European Hornet is 477.5±59.9 mg. Workers average around 25 mm (1.0 in) in length, while the larger queens can reach up to 35 mm (1.4 in). This is significantly larger than most common wasps (such as Vespula vulgaris), but smaller than the Asian giant hornet. Females are typically larger than males in both size and mass.

2024年5月20日 · European hornets are the only true hornets (genus Vespa) found in North America, having been introduced from Europe as early as 1840. These insects build intricate paper-like nests from plant materials and fibers, and use worker policing rather than queen pheromones to suppress reproduction.

Typical mass size for the European Hornet is 477.5 mg. Workers average around 25 mm in length, while the larger queens can reach up to 35 mm. This is significantly larger than most common wasps (such as Vespula vulgaris), but smaller than the Asian giant hornet.

European hornet nests in the southern US can be very large, up to 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 m) in length, 20 inches (0.5 m) in diameter, and may contain 800-1000 workers. Most nests in Virginia are much smaller due to colder winter weather. European hornet nests are annual, and the colony dies out with winter temperatures.

European Hornet’s are rarely aggressive unless their colony is threatened. Size: 25-35mm (2.5-3.5cm). Queens are larger than the males and workers. Lifespan: Queens have an annual lifecycle. Workers tend to live around a few months. Drones until mating is completed. Diet: Mostly carnivorous – they eat other insects such as beetles, wasps and moths.

European hornets have since become widespread and well established in the eastern United States, including all of Pennsylvania (Figure 3). They have continued to spread westward and were first reported from Arkansas in 1999. A European hornet worker collected in Guatemala was reported in 2010 but the species is not believed to be established there.