The big, bad wasp

The European hornet is surely one of Denmark’s most awe-inspiring insects. The large animals, that can grow to more than 3 cm long, and sound like small combat helicopters when they fly past, can scare the life out of most people. With their conspicuous black and yellow stripes, and large, reddish head, they are also very distinctive. And, yes, they can sting, and it is painful, but actually European hornets are extremely peaceful animals that mostly want to just be left alone. Common wasps are actually much worse, and much more aggressive – like when they attack forest walkers and lunch guests in the late summer, throwing themselves at jam sandwiches and half-drowning in cans of cola.

In the late summer, or during the autumn, all members of a wasp nest die, except for the queen, who flies out to find a good place to overwinter.

So, if you find an old wasp’s nest, it can be interesting to spend some time opening it up and taking it apart, so you can see the perfectly formed hexagonal cells, built from paper, where the eggs and larvae are stored.