Hobbies And Interests
European Hornet (Vespa Crabro)
The only true hornet in Iowa is the European hornet, or great hornet. As their name implies, these hornets are native to Europe, but they were brought to New York in the 1800s. Since that time, they have spread throughout the eastern United States and some adjoining states west of the Mississippi, such as Iowa and Missouri. Their head, thorax and upper abdomen are black and reddish-brown, and their lower abdomen bears yellow stripes, like their relatives, the yellow jackets. However, they stand in contrast to the smaller yellow jackets, which are only 0.47 to 0.63 inches long, with their long, stocky bodies of up to 1.5 inches.
Bald-Faced Hornet (Dolichovespula Maculata)
Although commonly called a hornet, the bald-faced hornet is actually a large wasp, in the same genus as yellow jackets. Ironically, it is black and white, not black and yellow, and may even kill other yellow jackets to feed to its young. It makes a large paper nest with four to six tiered combs encased in a paper covering, which holds 100 to 400 insects. It is very aggressive and may sting repeatedly.
Other "Hornets"
The common aerial and parasitic yellow jackets may also be called the common yellow and parasitic hornets. Like the bald-faced hornet, these insects belong to the genus Dolichovespula, not Vespa, like the true hornets. However, because of their large size and paper nests, the two terms are commonly interchanged. The common yellow hornet is found throughout northern Iowa, and the parasitic hornet has only a small population, mostly concentrated in the northeast corner of the state.
Hornets Versus Wasps
Wasps, including Iowa's bald-faced hornet, make their nests in rural and urban areas, and the European hornet prefers to avoid human populations. Although it is larger and contains more powerful venom than the smaller wasps, it is also less aggressive and does not seek out human food, which results in fewer stings. Both yellow jackets and hornets build paper nests out of processed wood fibers, but the European nests tend to be larger and house more workers. Both kinds of insects are protective of these nests and may sting a person who comes nearby.