Knowledgebase

Giant hornet? #789026

Asked May 02, 2022, 10:11 PM EDT

My husband killed a two inch long hornet-looking bug this evening and I'm curious what type it might be. I haven't seen one anywhere close to this large and ask a bit nervous about it because I'm allergic to wasps. Unfortunately, we weren't able to find the majority of the body (thorax?) after he hit it

Calvert County Maryland

Expert Response

Thank you for your question and photos. Even with part of the abdomen missing, I can see that this is a European hornet, a long-established, non-native insect species that is common in our area. The good news for you being allergic is that European hornets are not aggressive (although of course they do have the capacity to sting if they feel threatened). Here is a link for information about them.

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/european-hornets

I hope this is helpful.

~ Karin
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 03, 2022, 9:54 AM EDT

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