The Essex Naturalist
65
VESPIDAE - SOCIAL WASPS
The social wasps need little introduction. Nests contain a single queen and a
large number of workers. Males are produced later in the season for the purpose
of mating. Only the queens survive the winter, hibernating as adults. Of the ten
British species, eight are so far recorded for Essex. Ecological notes are derived
from Richards (1980) and Else (1994).
Vespa crabro L. The Hornet
Typical hornet nests are in hollow trees, but they are also recorded in thatched
roofs. British examples are referable to subspecies gribodoi Bequaert.
Not seen during the past two seasons (Harwood 1884). Vere (1947) records ten
nests in the Epping Forest district at Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Epping, Epping
Green, Loughton, Theydon Bois and Waltham Abbey in 1945. Chapman
(1962) also lists Vere's records and adds an observation of several workers on the
Suffolk bank of the River Stour near Flatford Mill in 1959. This species has
become quite rare in Britain in recent years but is now showing signs of a
comeback. For 30 years after the 1959 record given above there were no Essex
sightings of this large wasp. Then, in 1989, workers were seen at Hylands Park,
Chelmsford. Since then we have records for Birchanger Wood (Bishops
Stortford) in 1991 and from Marks Hall Woods (A M Bunker), Hatfield Forest
(D J L Agassiz), Dagnam Park (D A Smith), Halstead (a nest) and Glemsford
Pits all in 1992. In 1993 it was recorded at Sunshine Plain in Epping Forest.
More recently it has been seen by us at Wormingford Mere, Hatfield Forest,
Eastend Wood at Elsenham and Sawbridgeworth Marsh as well as at several
woods across the border in Hertfordshire in this general area of the north-west.
Dolichovespula media (Retzius) Median Wasp - Notable A
A newcomer to Britain, this large wasp, which is easily confused with the
hornet, was first noted in Britain in 1980, and first recorded as nesting as