Vespa crabro Linnaeus, 1758
(Hornet)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesVespa crabro (Hornet)
GenusVespa (a genus of hymenopterans)
SubfamilyVESPINAE (wasps)
FamilyVESPIDAE (potter, mason and social wasps)
SuperfamilyVESPOIDEA (wasps)
InfraorderAculeata (aculeates: bees, wasps and ants)
SuborderAPOCRITA (bees, wasps, ants and parasitoids)
OrderHYMENOPTERA (ants, bees and wasps, sawflies and parasitoid wasps)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Vespa crabro (Hornet) :
1: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
11 Jun 2014 OSGR: SU30 50° 50’ N, 1° 30’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
feeding on exudations from a goatmoth oak
Image 1: Worker - feeding on exudations from a goatmoth oakImage 2: Worker - feeding on exudations from a goatmoth oak (2)Image 3: Worker - feeding on exudations from a goatmoth oak (3)Image 4: Worker - feeding on exudations from a goatmoth oak (4)
2: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
21 Oct 2009 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
nest in hollow Ash tree
Image 1: CartonImage 2: Carton - close-upImage 3: Carton - close-up (2)Image 4: CellsImage 5: Cells (2)Image 6: Cells (3)Image 7: Cells - close-upImage 8: Cells with cappings - close-upImage 9: Nest - cut in halfImage 10: Nest - cut in half (2)Image 11: Nest - cut in half (3)Image 12: Nest - cut in half - in situImage 13: Wall of nest - section
3: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
16 Aug 2008 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Larva, lying on the pavement
Image 1: Larva - dorsal view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 2: Larva - lateral view - enlarged - white backgroundImage 3: Larva - ventral view - enlarged - white background
4: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
31 Jul 2005 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Worker, came indoors
Image 1: Worker - dorsal viewImage 2: Worker - lateral viewImage 3: Worker - ventral viewImage 4: Worker - face - enlarged
5: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
30 May 2005 OSGR: SU67 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
On dead tree stump
Image 1: Queen - dorsal view - close-upImage 2: Queen - dorsal view - close-up (2)Image 3: Queen - lateral view - close-upImage 4: Queen - lateral view - close-up (2)Image 5: Queen - lateral view - close-up (3)Image 6: Queen - postero-dorsal viewImage 7: Queen - postero-dorsal view - close-up
6: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
15 May 2005 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Queen - anterior viewImage 2: Queen - lateral viewImage 3: Queen - latero-dorsal viewImage 4: Queen - latero-dorsal view - close-upImage 5: Queen - anterior view - close-up - enlargedImage 6: Queen - face - close-up - enlarged
7: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
16 Oct 2004 OSGR: SU76 51° 20’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England
Remnants of nest on the ground
Image 1: CellsImage 2: Cells - lateral viewImage 3: Calls - enlargedImage 4: Cell - lateral view - enlargedImage 5: Cell - lateral view - enlarged (2)
8: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
15 Jun 2002 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
In garage, in evening
Image 1: About to take offImage 2: Captured in net
9: Vespa crabro (Hornet)
2 Apr 2000 OSGR: SU97 51° 30’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Queen, hibernating
Image 1: Queen - anterior viewImage 2: Queen - defensive positionImage 3: Queen - defensive position (2)Image 4: Queen - lateral view

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Bequaert, J. 1931 The Color Forms of the Common Hornet, Vespa crabro Linnaeus Konowia Vol 10: 101-109.
Philip, A. & Roberts, S. 2010 Information Sheet 8: Hornet (Vespa crabro)

Vespa crabro (Hornet) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Vespa crabro (Hornet)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 4 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Vespa crabro (Hornet)

Distinguished from the similar-looking Dolichovespula queens by the stripes on the thorax being reddish brown rather than black.

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