Yellow-legged Hornet (Vespa velutina)

Yellow-legged Hornets are smaller than their European counterparts, with worker hornets ranging from 0.8 to 1.2 inches and queens stretching up to 1.4 inches. They are native to Southeast Asia but have spread to Europe by hitching rides with humans. 

These hornets have dark, velvety bodies with yellow stripes and yellow legs. They live in bustling colonies of thousands of members, often found in trees, shrubs, artificial structures, and even ground burrows. Their non-barbed stingers can sting repeatedly and cause significant pain.

They have a preference for honey bees, threatening local honeybee populations. Despite their adverse effects on honey bee populations, Yellow-legged Hornets regulate the populations of other insects in their native ecosystems.