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European Hornet drinking - closeup, Berghem, Netherlands Found drinking in a very shallow pond. This is the largest wasp in Western Europe, at about 3cm. It looks very scary yet is never aggressive for as long as you stay away from their nest. <br /> <br /> It&#039;s an apex insect hunter that will take on insects of any size, all to feed the larvae whilst the adult primarily likes sugary saps to support their high energy lifestyle.<br /> <br /> Unique fact about this wasp is that unlike most wasps and bees, it always is in the mood for a hunt. Most wasps and bees don&#039;t like rain or wind, and stay in the nest. Not this wasp. In fact, it even hunts at night, targeting moths, which is very not wasp-like behavior. <br /> <br /> Finally, it enjoys feeding upside down, just because it can:<br /> <a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europese_hoornaar#/media/Bestand:Vespa_crabro_germana_with_prey_Richard_Bartz.jpg" rel="nofollow">https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europese_hoornaar#/media/Bestand:Vespa_crabro_germana_with_prey_Richard_Bartz.jpg</a><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101203/european_hornet_drinking_berghem_netherlands.html" title="European Hornet drinking, Berghem, Netherlands"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/101203_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1763596810&Signature=w6sHPta1Ptdr3fwcQ2Fz0o3VaPE%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="European Hornet drinking, Berghem, Netherlands Found drinking in a very shallow pond. This is the largest wasp in Western Europe, at about 3cm. It looks very scary yet is never aggressive for as long as you stay away from their nest. <br /> <br /> It&#039;s an apex insect hunter that will take on insects of any size, all to feed the larvae whilst the adult primarily likes sugary saps to support their high energy lifestyle.<br /> <br /> Unique fact about this wasp is that unlike most wasps and bees, it always is in the mood for a hunt. Most wasps and bees don&#039;t like rain or wind, and stay in the nest. Not this wasp. In fact, it even hunts at night, targeting moths, which is very not wasp-like behavior. <br /> <br /> Finally, it enjoys feeding upside down, just because it can:<br /> https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europese_hoornaar#/media/Bestand:Vespa_crabro_germana_with_prey_Richard_Bartz.jpg<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101202/european_hornet_drinking_-_closeup_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> One more, they have comma shaped eyes:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/37585/european_hornet.html Berghem,Europe,European Hornet,Netherlands,Vespa crabro,World" /></a></figure><br /> One more, they have comma shaped eyes:<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/37585/european_hornet.html" title="European hornet"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2771/37585_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1763596810&Signature=QIGDNnRSrXGXkB2oDSrygYtKvsM%3D" width="200" height="126" alt="European hornet This is a different hornet than in my previous upload, This one also has a lot of scars on the eyes from all the air battles.<br /> For these pictures i smeared a very rotten apple on a concrete table. And you don&#039;t have to wait long before the wasps dig in, until a hornet shows up, when it does all the other wasps and insects are gone leaving only the hornet to photograph. European Hornet,Geotagged,Netherlands,Summer,Vespa crabro" /></a></figure> Berghem,Europe,European Hornet,Netherlands,Vespa crabro,World Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

European Hornet drinking - closeup, Berghem, Netherlands

Found drinking in a very shallow pond. This is the largest wasp in Western Europe, at about 3cm. It looks very scary yet is never aggressive for as long as you stay away from their nest.

It's an apex insect hunter that will take on insects of any size, all to feed the larvae whilst the adult primarily likes sugary saps to support their high energy lifestyle.

Unique fact about this wasp is that unlike most wasps and bees, it always is in the mood for a hunt. Most wasps and bees don't like rain or wind, and stay in the nest. Not this wasp. In fact, it even hunts at night, targeting moths, which is very not wasp-like behavior.

Finally, it enjoys feeding upside down, just because it can:
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europese_hoornaar#/media/Bestand:Vespa_crabro_germana_with_prey_Richard_Bartz.jpg

European Hornet drinking, Berghem, Netherlands Found drinking in a very shallow pond. This is the largest wasp in Western Europe, at about 3cm. It looks very scary yet is never aggressive for as long as you stay away from their nest. <br /> <br /> It's an apex insect hunter that will take on insects of any size, all to feed the larvae whilst the adult primarily likes sugary saps to support their high energy lifestyle.<br /> <br /> Unique fact about this wasp is that unlike most wasps and bees, it always is in the mood for a hunt. Most wasps and bees don't like rain or wind, and stay in the nest. Not this wasp. In fact, it even hunts at night, targeting moths, which is very not wasp-like behavior. <br /> <br /> Finally, it enjoys feeding upside down, just because it can:<br /> https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europese_hoornaar#/media/Bestand:Vespa_crabro_germana_with_prey_Richard_Bartz.jpg<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/101202/european_hornet_drinking_-_closeup_berghem_netherlands.html<br /> One more, they have comma shaped eyes:<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/37585/european_hornet.html Berghem,Europe,European Hornet,Netherlands,Vespa crabro,World

One more, they have comma shaped eyes:

European hornet This is a different hornet than in my previous upload, This one also has a lot of scars on the eyes from all the air battles.<br /> For these pictures i smeared a very rotten apple on a concrete table. And you don't have to wait long before the wasps dig in, until a hornet shows up, when it does all the other wasps and insects are gone leaving only the hornet to photograph. European Hornet,Geotagged,Netherlands,Summer,Vespa crabro

    comments (3)

  1. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Super fun FUN FACTS! Posted 5 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      I genuinely had fun researching this one, as I knew nothing about it myself. In particular the night hunting is so unexpected. Posted 5 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
        Lion
        View Lion class
        That fact was really surprising to me as well. Definitely unexpected. Posted 5 years ago

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The European Hornet

The European hornet is the largest eusocial wasp native to Europe. It is also the only true hornet found in North America, having been introduced to the United States and Canada from Europe as early as 1840. Vespines, such as "V. crabro", are known for making intricate paper-like nests out of surrounding plant materials and other fibers.

Info 32 5
Similar species: Wasps, Bees, Sawflies And Ants
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
View Ferdy Christant's profile

By Ferdy Christant

All rights reserved
Uploaded Sep 10, 2020. Captured Jun 22, 2020 15:51.
country flag of Netherlands Explore Netherlands 8,314 2,306 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/6.3
  • 1/800s
  • ISO400
  • 105mm