Air Arms Owners Club

Heard rather loud "Buzzing" in my shed today, turned round and nearly shit myself

I've placed a normal one below for scale

A queen hornet, and not a particularly big one. Sound like they're powered by a Merlin engine!
Apparently their sting is not as bad as a wasp's but I've never risked it... always given them a wide berth!

Done some checking,
It's a European Hornet, quite docile apparently
Tell that to the wife
Havn't seen her since lunchtime

Haven't seen her since lunchtime you say, send it to me!

That's just a wee bug

BBF

Can I borrow it after roger
Bugger using a rolled up news paper,you will have to smash that with an Argos catalogue

Hornets are more orange than a wasp as your pics show. Not to be confused with a recent invader, an Asian wasp (can't remember the proper name). This is similar in size to a hornet with black thorax and yellow & black abdomen like a wasp, only the black triangular marks appear on the upper segments (near thorax) whereas, on a wasp, they continue, but getting smaller, on the lower segments (towards the tail). I haven't seen one, just read about them.... aggressive with a very painful sting apparently.

I have spent a fair bit of time in southern Burgundy, where European hornets ('frelon' in French) are common. They certainly do make a hell of a noise when they fly, which is lucky, because their sting is horrendous, and I can tell you from plenty of personal experience that although they are quite slow compared to our native wasp, they are not docile. The wine growers in that part of the country are hard men, as nearly all the work is still done by hand, and they reckon one sting and you're out of action for a day, two stings and it's a hospital job.

Seriously, if you see one, be careful and don't mess with it....

Alan

The European Hornets do have their natural environment in southern Austria too and are quite common here .
Strictly protected by Law as very useful insects and endangered species.

Incidentally got some stitches (the first ones in my life after a lot a bees and wasps ones) couple of years ago in my early sixties.
All four on the head - one right above center (not fully stung), two into the upper back area (nearly fully stung) and one at the right side above the temple.

It did hurt indeed but the first three a/m were really moderate not fully blown ones and reactions disappeared after three to four hours.
The one above the right temple obviously hit a main nerve string and the venom seemed to seep down along the nerve string until all the tooth roots in the upper right jaw.
It took the rest of the day and nearly full night to get some relieve though the pain wasn't really strong it was more irritating for me to have to feel how the complete right sight of my face got dumb.
Luckily no other neurological deficit and/or anaphylactic allergic shock anyway.
Next morning I was completely fine again and nearly pain free.

So take it easy lads.