THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB
HEADQUARTERS:
THE PASSMORE ED WARDS MUSEUM,
ROMFORD ROAD. STRATFORD,
LONDON, E15 4LZ
NEWSLETTER NO. 4 November, 1992
HORNETS IN ESSEX
In recent decades Hornets have been rare insects in Essex and in fact until this year 1 have
never seen one in our county.
However I am informed that the species is making a recovery and spreading back across
England from the West Country. I was fortunate enough this year to receive a phone call
from Colin Jupp a local birdwatcher drawing attention to fact that numerous Hornets had
been seen in Dagnam Park (TQ 5593). I went to the park on 17th October and was lucky
enough to see maybe a dozen or so flying about some Ash trees occasionally coming to
rest on the foliage. I believe all those seen were in fact queens dispersing from a nearby
colony.
Hornets though an impressive size are by no means the fearsome beasts that people
imagine and many other wasp species are more quickly aroused than the Hornet.
Hornet colonies are usually founded in hollow trees or stumps often low down and
occasionally on the ground in bark, etc.
I have over the years often had reports of Hornets but until now they have always proved
to be smaller wasp species. Hornets are very obviously much larger than wasp workers
being about 20-22 mm. body length and queens sometimes over 28 mm. They are also
brown and yellow rather than black and yellow. I would welcome any reports and/or
specimens of sightings from Essex. I would also be interested to hear if anyone has any
historic recollections or records of Essex Hornets.
D. A. Smith, 12 Tring Gardens, Harold Hill, Romford, Essex, RM3 9EP.
Telephone 0708-375555
A REQUEST FOR NEWSLETTER ITEMS
Please send in items for the Newsletter, short or long, general or specific. There must be
lots of interesting observations or records that Field Club members could share with
everyone else. What about articles about interesting wildlife sites, habitat changes,
wildlife in your garden, how areas near you are managed for wildlife or historical
recollections of Essex.