European hornet

Template:Taxobox begin Template:Taxobox image Template:Taxobox begin placement Template:Taxobox regnum entry Template:Taxobox phylum entry Template:Taxobox classis entry Template:Taxobox ordo entry Template:Taxobox familia entry Template:Taxobox genus entry Template:Taxobox species entry Template:Taxobox end placement Template:Taxobox section binomial Template:Taxobox end The European hornet Vespa crabro is the largest European wasp. The female queen measures 25 to 35 mm long, males and workers are smaller. In males, the antennae have 13 segments, while females have 12. The male abdomen is composed of 7 visible segments, while that of the female has 6; females are equipped with an ovipositor.

Eyes are deeply indented, shaped like a C.

Wings are reddish-orange, the petiolated abdomen is orange striped with brown.

There are several geographic color forms of the Hornet found worldwide:

1. Vespa crabro crabro Linnaeus, 1758
2. Vespa crabro vexator Harris, 1776
3. Vespa crabro germana Christ, 1791
4. Vespa crabro crabroniformis Smith, 1852
5. Vespa crabro borealis Radoszkowski, 1863
6. Vespa crabro oberthuri du Buysson, 1902
7. Vespa crabro flavofasciata Cameron, 1903
8. Vespa crabro altaica Pérez, 1910
9. Vespa crabro caspica Pérez, 1910
10. Vespa crabro chinensis Birula, 1925

Hornets belong to the order or group Hymenoptera.

External links

• European hornet protection site (in English, also available in French, German, Russian, Spanish and Swedish)