Wasps. Hornets. They all kind of look the same, don’t they?
So how do you know you’ve got a wasp problem and not a hornet one?
Unless you’re a wasp expert, a hornet and a wasp will look pretty much the same. They both have the same shape, they both have the same distinct warning colours. And they both can sting.
This makes it very difficult for the untrained eye to tell the difference. You can, however, spot the difference between a wasp and a hornet by looking at some other factors: nesting and behaviour.
Nesting
While a wasp will choose some where like a roof-space or a garden shed to build its nest, a hornet will normally build its football shaped nest in a tree.
Behaviour
Wasps are typically more aggressive than hornets. Wasps have no problems flying around your summer picnic looking for food, where as a hornet would stick to forraging for plant nectar and other insects in plant beds and bushes.
This doesn’t mean a hornet is a friendly, cuddly version of a wasp. Both will sting and use aggression if it feels threatened. You can learn more about wasp stings here.