Wasps.
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Common Wasp. Wasps are typically social insects with new nests constructed each year. The queens, which are larger than the workers, overwinter in harbourages in buildings, under loose bark or even in old nests. The wasp is commonly found in gardens and around the home and will build their nests in trees, bushes, holes in the ground, sheds and lofts.
Identification:
10 – 20 mm long, distinctive black & yellow banding and a narrow waist in the middle.
European Hornet. They are Europe’s largest wasp and nest mainly in hollow trees. Occasionally they can be found in buildings. European Hornets have larger, longer stings than other species of native wasps so inject more venom, causing far more pain. however, it has been reported that the venom is less toxic to us than other wasp species.
Identification:
The adult European hornet worker is approximately 25 mm in length with yellow and brown colouration. Queens up to 35 mm. Hornets are part of the wasp family, and their life cycle is very much the same as wasps. Hornets are not as common, or as aggressive as other wasp species.
Median Wasp. This large wasp arrived in England in the 1980s and is now quite widespread. It is a large wasp, quite dark in colour, some individuals are nearly black. The camouflaged football sized nests contain around 300 wasps and are much smaller that the common wasp’s nest and often concealed in dense vegetation and made from ribbons of wood pulp.
Identification:
The Median Wasp is the largest wasp in the UK after the Hornet. Workers, 15-19mm long, distinctive black & yellow banding. The queen looks very much like a worker Hornet and is 18-22mm long.