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Nasty looking thing, Hornet?

Funny enough I had one surprise me in the garden yesterday, bloody huge thing, over double the size of a normal wasp! I’ve never seen one before so had to google it … European Hornet 👍🏻
 
Our neighbour has cedar tiles on the roof, the Hornets including the Asian ones, seem to love them.
 
We have a small nest of European Hornets in the chimney above the kitchen. Problem is their navigation system sometimes sends them into the kitchen and not down the chimney outside. Getting about 4 a day at the moment. Pretty harmless, just look scary. The queens are much bigger than that.

Asian Hornets are smaller, with a single yellow band on the abdomen and yellow legs. Please don't get anywhere near one of those as they are very dangerous, with fatalities here every year. They will sting without reason then lay a pheromone trail back to the hive to guide others to you. We had a nest created in the wall shortly after we arrived (they destroyed a black bee hive there) and had to pay an exterminator to get rid of them.
 
weve had a few european ones in the house , very impressive and when i googled much less angry than a wasp , admire it and help it out.

asian ones i believe need to be reported as a troublesome visitor
 
We've had their nests for the last 3 years. Never even seen one before we moved her and now every September / October their knocking on the windows to come in. Quite frightening in a way. Shame I dont had an infinite back stop.... whom I trying to kid! I'd hit the buggers anyway 🤣
 
Only really saw them in France but noticed a few this year. Quite impressive and easy to spot when flying 😎IMG_5804.jpeg
 
I have a fig tree in the garden and this year quite a few over ripe figs that are too difficult to reach. There were plenty of European Hornets buzzing around the figs. The were no at all aggressive. I guess if you were near a nest they would be aggressive. They make a distinctive buzz so you know when there is one around.
 
number10 said:
I have a fig tree in the garden and this year quite a few over ripe figs that are too difficult to reach. There were plenty of European Hornets buzzing around the figs. The were no at all aggressive. I guess if you were near a nest they would be aggressive. They make a distinctive buzz so you know when there is one around.
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Our's aren't actively agressive.. apart from when I used a chainsaw to chop down a tree they were nesting in...then they were🤣

It was like watching the Battle of Brittain when the pest guy puffed the white stuff in one nest.. they were flying into the sky looking like they had smoke pouring out of them and then dropping out and landing in tiny puffs of powder!
 
They are reputed to bump as a warning before stinging, I could never bring myself to kill such a polite creature.
They are relatively common around here, but I was not really aware until about 2001 as there was a nest close to where I was renting.
I don't really mind them, and when I heard that low hum in the place, I'd try to find it, and guide it back outside, (for both of our comfort).
At least one was the full 35mm or more.
 
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