The sight of a hornet conjures up fear in many people, partly due to their reputation, but also their size - they are quite large! They can be less aggressive than normal wasps, but being around 3cm long (twice the size of a wasp) you wouldn't want a sting from them.

They normally feed on nectar and fruit. However, their larvae eat other insects brought to them by the parents, after they have chewed them up. This hornet (found in the southern woods) has just finished eating a bee or hoverfly - you can see a wing in the hornet's mouth! In late summer they can be found along the river, hunting in the flowers for small insects to feed to their young.