Species group · Insects

Hornets

WAnimals has 2 species of hornet, all in the family Vespidae.

2 species
1 family
60 countries
152 parks
Length
1.8 cm – 5 cm
Lifespan
1 years

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 2.

All 2 species of hornets on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Conservation status

2 Not Evaluated

No species documented in this group is genuinely at risk according to the IUCN, with the data available today.

See the global conservation status

Where they live

Recorded in 60 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…

  • It eats other large insects such as beetles, wasps, moths and dragonflies, supplemented with fallen fruit and sap.

    From Hornet

  • Unlike most wasps, it can fly and hunt at night.

    From Hornet

  • A colony can reach 400 to 1,000 individuals at its late-summer peak.

    From Hornet

  • It eats large insects, tree sap and honey.

    From Asian Giant Hornet

  • New queens mate in autumn and then hibernate until the following spring.

    From Asian Giant Hornet

  • A group of hornets can wipe out an entire colony of European honeybees in a few hours.

    From Asian Giant Hornet

Ecosystems

See every species group · Explore the species one by one