So, I decided to do an article on hornets because their often painted as the villain in most stories and I don’t think many of us really know a lot about them. We just
think of them as larger wasps! Hornets are actually pretty formidable in the insect world so you can see why a lot of us humans, run in the other direction when we see one.
Their sting can carry five times the poison of wasp stings and they can come in many bright funky colours, not just black and yellow. Okay, okay…so technically they are part of the same family as wasps, the way to tell them apart is pretty much down to size!
Hornets are normally an inch or two bigger then a large wasp. But here is something you probably will be surprised to hear- hornets are actually pretty shy insects-while many people are scared of hornets, they’re not actually aggressive, unlike wasps. They usually choose to live in an undisturbed area and don’t attack unless their home is under attack.
Hornets tend to prefer roofs and treetops to nest above ground, as it’s more secure
and private. This does however mean that hornets can come into conflict with us humans when they decide to make their homes in ours. Those that choose to nest in the ground instead, will find abandoned or undisturbed burrows and fields. Like other social wasps, hornets build communal nests by chewing wood to make a papery pulp. Each nest has one queen, which lays eggs and is attended by workers. Hornets feed themselves with nectar and sugar-rich plant foods. Thus, they can often be found feeding on the sap of oak trees, rotting sweet fruits, honey, and any sugar-containing foodstuffs. Hornets frequently fly into orchards to feed on overripe fruit, and tend to gnaw a hole in fruit to become totally immersed in its pulp.
Hornets can recognise another hornet by identifying the individual from their unique
facial patterns. Hornets have also proofed in studies to be capable of using logic. They can use two separate pieces of information to draw a conclusion. This is believed to be the first suggestion that invertebrates are able to use logical deduction.
So you see hornets are actually a lot more unique then you might have expected. I give
you the power of a hornet.
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