VESPA CRABRO

APPEARENCE

• Wide , up to 1.8 inches long..

• The wings are orange-red .

• Orange abdomen with brown stripes.

LIFE CYCLE

• Nests are found during the spring.

• Most die in late autumn.

• Only the fertilized queens overwinter .

HABITS

• Nesting – In sheltered places , eg tree trunks, bushes, sides of buildings , barns, attics, hollow walls. Their nests are gray and paper-like .

• A colony can reach a size of 700 workers.

• Only spades when provoked . Their stings are painful to humans. They can bite and sting at the same time . They can mobilize the entire nest to sting in defense which is very dangerous for humans.

• Food – Live insects and sap. Are not attracted by human food.