Queens may approach 35 mm; workers are usually smaller.
Fine-art photographic collection
Vespa crabro
A giant social wasp that can fly after sunset and air-condition its paper nest with water and vibrating muscles.
About this species
Vespa crabroLinnaeus, 1758
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Vespa crabro is the European hornet, a large social wasp nesting in tree cavities and buildings. Workers hunt other insects for larvae, gather sap and fruit for themselves, and actively regulate the nest environment.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Vespidae · Vespa
Accepted taxon. · checked 2026-07-15
Europe and western Asia, with an established introduced range in eastern North AmericaBroad range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Europe and western Asia, with an established introduced range in eastern North America
Woodland, orchards, parks and settlements with large cavities for nesting.
Active by day and capable of flight in very dim twilight or darkness.
Adults take sap, fruit and nectar; larvae are fed chewed insects.
Annual social colony founded by one queen and later containing hundreds of workers.
What makes this species remarkable?
Unlike most social wasps, workers can navigate and forage in extremely dim twilight and may continue flying after full darkness.
Workers cool an overheating nest by carrying water and fanning it, while cold workers vibrate flight muscles to help warm the brood area.
The nest envelope and comb are paper manufactured from chewed decayed wood, and a colony can relocate when its original cavity becomes too small.
More photographs
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