How dangerous are hornets really?

Hornets and their stings are considered dangerous, but the animals are actually not aggressive and are of great value to our ecosystem.

Hornets are still widely regarded as dangerous and aggressive. However, as with many supposedly dangerous animals, this opinion is incorrect. In contrast to the German wasp or the common wasp, hornets are very peaceful animals. Nevertheless, hornets also defend their nest. Therefore, we humans have to differentiate in terms of our rules of behavior, whether we encounter a hornet at the nest or when foraging outside its nest area.

Hornets in search of food

Outside the nest area, hornets are peaceful and generally avoid any altercations. That means they'd rather flee than stab. Only when a hornet is crushed or held is it ready to use its sting. In the worst case, this happens when a hornet gets caught in your clothes. Otherwise, there is no reason to be afraid of a flying hornet. In contrast to wasps, they do not fly directly to humans. While wasps are attracted to meat, sweet foods and drinks and can be really annoying as a result, hornets are not enthusiastic about such treats. Because hornets are still active at dusk, they can occasionally be lured into the house by artificial light sources. Often the extinguishing of the light source is enough, which allows the hornet to orientate itself again and will soon find a way out.

Hornet in the vicinity of the nest

Although hornets tend to be peaceful animals, they will also become aggressive if their nest is directly threatened. However, if a few important points are observed, a hornet sting is more than unlikely. First of all, it is important to know at what distance from the nest a human poses a threat. For hornets, this is usually 4 meters. However, if a nest is disturbed more frequently, then the defense radius also increases. If you accidentally come closer to a hornet's nest, please follow the following rules:

• Avoid quick and jerky movements
• Don't block the hornets' trajectories
• Do not shake or make loud noises
• Do not breathe directly on animals

If you prefer to retreat slowly and calmly, then nothing should happen.

Hornet sting - now what?

Hornet stings are considered to be particularly poisonous and several stings are said to pose a danger to life and limb. However, this is a myth, at least for normally sensitive people. First of all, it is very rare for a hornet to sting at all. In addition, it is quite unlikely to be attacked by several animals at the same time. In mice, for example, honey bee venom is far more potent than hornet venom. Therefore, there are currently no verifiable facts that speak for the supposedly strong venom of the hornet. Also, the pain of a hornet sting is no worse than that of a bee or wasp sting. Only if a hornet bites the mouth or throat region can there be a risk of suffocation due to the swelling. Then seek medical advice immediately. However, since hornets actually have no reason to feed on humans, such a sting is very unlikely.

Hornet stings in allergy sufferers

Just as some people are allergic to bee and wasp stings, people can also be allergic to a hornet sting. The allergy-triggering substances hardly differ in wasps and hornets, which is why there is often a cross-allergy. This means that people who are allergic to wasps are also more likely to be allergic to a hornet sting. Overall, 2-4% of the population is said to have an allergic reaction to hornet stings. Symptoms of an allergic reaction are:

• circulatory problems
• Rash and swelling distant from the injection site
• shortness of breath

If these symptoms or other physical impairments occur, a doctor must be consulted as soon as possible. For allergy sufferers, a hornet sting can lead to severe circulatory problems and also to anaphylactic shock (danger to life!). Even if the whole thing sounds very threatening at first: all the dangers listed here only come about after a stab. However, if you behave correctly towards the hornets, then there will hardly be a sting.

Background information: Hornet queen and her life cycle

Hornets are not aggressive animals, but rather a real wonder of nature, which can be seen above all in their special life cycle. The life of the hornets is mainly determined by their queen and her life story, which is as follows:

The so-called young queens only dare to leave their winter quarters in mid-May. Rotten trees, bark or, rarely, a place in the ground serve as shelter. The young queen is initially on her own and begins to search for an optimal nesting site. While knots and other cavities are used in the natural environment, in the Human-populated areas mostly barns, attics, and even bird nests roller shutter boxes. Once a good place has been found, the young queen immediately starts building the nest. Wood that has been chewed finely beforehand is used for this. The first eggs are then laid in the still small nest and after four weeks the first workers hatch. Now the queen can take care of her real task: the continuous egg production. The workers now take care of nest care, brood care and food procurement.

In late summer, the behavior of the hornet colony changes. Now more and more sex animals hatch, these are male drones and new young queens that can mate. They ensure that the hornet population is maintained for the next year. This is also when the hornet population density is at its highest. As a rule, there are 200 - 300 animals, but occasionally a colony can also consist of up to 600 animals.

From October, the number of hornets steadily decreases and the colony begins to die. Before that, however, there is one more important event – ​​the nuptial flight. The young queens are fertilized by the drones. The fertilized young queens are now looking for a winter quarters where they can survive the cold season in order to be able to start a new colony next year. All other hornets, including the old queen, do not survive the winter.

Hornet as a Beneficial

Although the big wasps don't have a good reputation, they are extremely useful. Because the hornet larvae are fed exclusively with insects and arthropods. Since this also includes many unpopular pests, the hornets make an important contribution to the regulation of harmful insects. A single colony of hornets can feed an enormous number of insects and other animals to the hungry larvae in a day. The adult hornets, on the other hand, are strict vegetarians and feed on fallen fruit, tree sap and, rarely, flower nectar.

So, hornets don't really get their bad reputation: They aren't aggressive animals that people like They sting whim, but highly complex creatures that are of enormous importance for a healthy ecosystem are.

Even wasps do not enjoy a good reputation with most people. Here you can find out everything about the annoying insects and their nests.