Wasp vs. hornet: what’s the difference? Don’t worry, we’re not picking favorites today, because I’d choose neither. We’re simply going on a little mission to discover the differences between the two!
Overview
Firstly, both hornets and wasps are insects. Secondly, all hornets are wasps, but not all wasps are hornets. Thirdly, wasps and hornets both belong to the family Vespidae, but wasps also belong to many other families. Confused? Let me explain!
Wasp is a collective term for the many narrow-waisted insects belonging to the suborder Apocrita, which belongs to the order Hymenoptera. This excludes broad-waisted sawflies, ants, and bees. Get this: there are more than 100,000 species of wasps in the world.
Now, Vespidae is one of the families under the large wasp umbrella, and it includes about 5,000 of those wasp species. The subfamilies of Vespidae include Eumeninae (potter wasps), Masarinae (pollen wasps), Stenogastrinae (hover wasps), and Vespinae (yellow jackets and hornets), etc. There are roughly 20 hornet species in the world, which includes the European hornet, Asian hornet, Oriental hornet, bald-faced hornet, Asian giant hornet, etc.
Physical Appearance
Wasp: Since there are more than 100,000 different wasps, you probably guessed that they all look different, right? The yellow jacket, probably the most popular wasp along with our friend the hornet, has a unique black body with bright yellow markings. European paper wasps have almost the exact same appearance, while the northern paper wasp has a reddish body with yellow marks. The Scoliidae family wasps, consisting of roughly 500+ scoliid wasps, are all fuzzy little guys. And to complicate things even further, some wasps are dressed in blue or metallic jackets.
Hornet: They’re typically rounder and more robust than other wasps in the backside department, while their coloration is a darker, brownish/reddish hue instead of black. Their markings can range from the same bright yellow to black and even white. They tuck their legs in when they fly, as opposed to the dangly legs of other wasps, so you can spot the difference from a distance.
Habitat
Wasp: The many species of wasps each have their own preference, but the general consensus is that anywhere is good. They build their nests in practically any location, from trees and eaves to underground. Yes, wasps even live in underground burrows. There is no blueprint for wasp nests, and they all look different and consist of different materials. Social wasps build nests that can accommodate the entire colony, while the solitary type only leaves room for their family.
Hornet: They’re a lot pickier. They prefer to be elevated in sheltered locations, like trees and attics. The lowest they’re willing to go is in shrubs. In most cases, their nests are made from chewed wood fibers and saliva, and they don’t like having multiple entrances. These nests are usually big enough for the colony, which means a single one can have more than 1000 hornets inside. They’re very territorial and they’ll become pretty aggressive if they feel that their nest is threatened.
Behavior
Wasp: They’re not nearly as aggressive as hornets when it comes to their nests, but they’ll protect it if they need to. They’re social insects so they mostly live in colonies, but there are a couple of solitary wasp species in the world. They sting multiple times to make sure the job gets done and believe me, it can hurt. Did I mention that they release an alarm pheromone when they sting you? This is a call to the other wasps in their colony to come join the attack.
Hornet: Like I said before, hornets are territorial, and they get aggressive when threatened. They also sting multiple times and attract other hornets when there’s trouble. To top it all off, their stings are more painful than your typical wasp sting. Hornets have some of the most painful insect stings in the world because they’ve got some potent chemicals in their venom. About what I said about choosing a favorite.
Diet
Wasp: These guys are insectivores. Apart from an insanely painful sting and the threat of death if you’re allergic, they won’t try to eat you. Actually, they may be omnivores if I think about it. They may eat other insects, but that doesn’t mean they prefer them. They’re more likely to go for sugary or syrupy foods, like fruit, fruit juices, and anything with nectar. That’s why they like to build their nests so close to our houses. But they do start off with a protein-packed diet because wasps feed their larvae with insects.
Hornet: They’re the real insectivores because they prefer other insects, like honey bees and even wasps. They’ll also take on bigger insects, like grasshoppers, crickets, and caterpillars. But yes, they’ll settle for tree sap or nectar if there’s an insect drought. Just like the other wasps, they also feed their larvae with insects.
Other Differences
Social structure: Hornets are social creatures, so they always live in colonies, regardless of their complex social structure. The size of these colonies can differ, but that’s the only variable. Wasps are the same but some of the species choose a more solitary lifestyle. They may prefer to do the whole life thing on their own. That’s until they find a suitable mate to start a family with.
Lifespan: Worker wasps live for a short 12 to 22 days, while drone wasps live slightly longer. But don’t be fooled because they die right after mating. Hornets have a slightly longer lifespan of 20 to 30 days. The only similarity between the two is that the queen can survive for about a year. They survive through winter to build a new hive and start a new colony every year. Insect parenting is rough!
Similarities
Sting: Unlike bees, wasps don’t die when they sting someone. That’s something wasps and hornets have in common. Plus, both wasps and hornets feature on the Schmidt sting pain index and some are even in the running to have the most painful stings. The scale runs from 1 to 4, with 1 being the least painful and 4 being excruciating. Here’s what you can expect from a sting from some of the wasp species:
- Western paper wasp.
- Mexican honey wasp, sunflower wasp, Asian giant hornet, four-toothed mason wasp, northern paper wasp, yellow jacket, paper wasp, bald-faced hornet.
- Red paper wasp, metricus paper wasp, velvet ant/ cow killer wasp.
- Tarantula hawk, warrior wasp.
Anatomy: Hard exoskeletons, six legs, and wings with membranes. Those are just some of the physical and anatomical similarities between hornets and other wasps.
Even More Similarities
Ecosystem importance: They may raise your heartbeat when they get too close to you, but they’re actually important. For multiple reasons. They both prey on other insects, which keeps the ecosystems clear of overpopulation and what-not. They also control pest populations, which makes yours truly, an avid gardener and passionate hater of flies, very happy.
Reproduction: All wasps undergo complete metamorphosis. They start out as little eggs that the queen lays in the cells of the nest. Then, they develop into larvae – fed insects to stay healthy, remember? Furthermore, they reach pupae status before they emerge as adult wasps.
Colonies: The entire wasp vs. hornet thing is getting confusing, but bear with me. So, what we’ve learned so far is that wasps can be either solitary or social, while hornets are always social, right? Social wasps that live in colonies and hornets have another thing in common: their colonies always have a queen. And the poor gal does all of the colony’s birthing by herself.
