The NHBS Guide to UK Wasps

Often seen as mere picnic nuisances, the UK is home to a surprising variety of wasps, including both social and solitary species. While many of us will be familiar with the iconic black and yellow social wasps, numerous solitary species display incredible diversity in both form and behaviour. Distinguishing them can seem daunting, but key features like body shape, coloration, and reproductive behaviour can offer valuable clues. 

Here, we’ll explore a selection of common wasp species, and some wasp families found across the UK, detailing their identifying characteristics and the typical habitats they can be found in.


Common European Yellowjacket (Vespa vulgaris) 

Common wasp DSC_5493_edited-1 by Clifton Beard, via flickr.
Common wasp DSC_5493_edited-1 by Clifton Beard, via flickr.

Identification: Between 11-19mm in length with striking black and yellow stripes. These social wasps have six abdominal sections, each with one stripe, and there is a very distinguished waist between the thorax and the abdomen, which has black dots and rings. The species has a conspicuous face on a triangular shaped head with a black anchor or dagger shaped mark towards the base, and a pair of long, robust antennae. They have yellow cheeks and yellow legs.  

Distribution: Widespread throughout the UK. Common Social Wasps can be found in almost all habitats, particularly grassland, heathland and woodland from mid-March to November.  

Red Wasp (Vespula rufa) 

Rote Wespe (Vespula rufa) by Frank Vassen, via flickr.
Rote Wespe (Vespula rufa) by Frank Vassen, via flickr.

Identification: Growing up to 20mm in length, Red Wasps can easily be distinguished from V. vulgaris by reddish-brown markings on their upper back segments. 

Distribution: Widespread, and frequently found in open woodland, moorland and hedge banks from the end of March until September.  

Hornet (Vespa crabro) 

Hornet (Vespa crabro) by Nick Wood, via flickr.
Hornet (Vespa crabro) by Nick Wood, via flickr.

Identification: Hornets are Britain’s largest social wasp species. Around 15-35mm in size. The abdomen is yellow and unbanded, with brown markings on the upper parts, while the thorax is black and reddish-brown. Their legs are a reddish brown – a characteristic that can distinguish them from Asian Hornets – and antennae are yellow or brown in colour.  

Distribution: Widespread distribution and commonly found throughout England and Wales. Hornets can be found in many lowland habitats and are known to associate with ancient woodland, wood pasture and can be found in parks and gardens in more urban areas. Queens emerge from overwintering in early April, while workers can typically be seen from late June to November.   

Yellow-legged Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina)

Asian hornet by Gilles San Martin, via flickr.Asian hornet by Gilles San Martin, via flickr.

Identification: Typically smaller than native hornets, this invasive species can grow up to 3cm in length. Their abdomen is dark in colour with fine yellow stripes, and the fourth segment towards the base of the hornet is distinctly yellow orange in colour, while the thorax is entirely black or dark brown and appears velvety in texture. From the front, the head appears orange and the legs have yellow tips. 

Distribution: Yellow-legged Asian Hornets were first recorded in England around 2016, after they were accidentally introduced from Asia. They have mostly been recorded in the south of England, particularly the South-east.  

Wasp Families

The diversity of wasp families in the UK is vast and presents a significant identification challenge. In this blog, we have chosen to focus on a number of wasp families to demonstrate the wonderful diversity of this group.  

Ichneumon Wasps 

Sabre Wasp – Rhyssa persuasoria by Nature Spot. Ichneumon wasp by nutmeg66, via flickr. Barylypa propugnator by Nature Spot.

There are around 2,500 species of Ichneumon wasp in the UK. These small insects can vary in size but generally reach up to 1 ½ inches in length. They exhibit a wide range of colours and patterns, some with brightly coloured bands, and others with more subtle markings. Ichneumon Wasps can be distinguished by a slender sickle-shaped abdomen and a pair of long antennae, each with at least 16 segments. They have a narrow waist, long jointed legs and two pairs of wings. These parasitic wasps inhabit flower-rich meadows, gardens and woodland – they can often be seen around umbellifers or investigating vegetation and dead wood.  

Gall Wasps 

Oak Marble Gall by Nick Wood, via flickr.
Oak Marble Gall by Nick Wood, via flickr.

The UK is estimated to have 86 Gall Wasps, a group of well-studied parasitic wasps. This group gets its name for a unique reproductive behaviour where adults lay eggs in the soft tissues of trees, flowers and other plants, creating a gall as the larva develop. Usually on the underside of leaves, branches and around acorns, these wasps produce conspicuous galls on their host plant – interestingly, they usually only infect a specific species of genus, for example, Citrus Gall Wasps will exclusively parasitise citrus trees. After overwintering, the larvae will emerge in spring and can be seen throughout summer. They are typically under 5mm in size, shiny, and are black or brown in colour with a humped thorax and wings. 

Cuckoo Wasps 

Crysis cf impressa close-cropped by Nigel Jones, via flickr. Chrysis fulgida by Ryszard, via flickr. Chrysis viridula by Tim Worfolk, via flickr.
Crysis cf impressa close-cropped by Nigel Jones, via flickr. Chrysis fulgida by Ryszard, via flickr. Chrysis viridula by Tim Worfolk, via flickr.

Instantly recognisable by their brilliant metallic body colours in shades of blue, green, purple and red, these small chrysidids are also known as jewel or ruby tailed wasps. There are around 31 species of Cuckoo Wasp in the UK, which can be seen in sunny weather from April to October in a range of habitats; particularly in sandy soils around coastal areas, gardens and ancient woodlands. The group are often seen investigating the nests of other Hymenoptera species in order to reproduce – these parasitic species will enter the host nest and lay their own eggs in the host cells. Once hatched, Cuckoo wasp larvae will eat the eggs and larvae of the host species before restarting the cycle – hence the name ‘cuckoo’.  

Recommended Reading: 

Wasps of the World book cover.

Wasps of the World | Feb 2024 

A richly illustrated guide to wasps around the world, providing a breathtaking look at the characteristics, habitats and lifestyles of these extraordinary insects.

 

 

Wasps.Wasps | May 2021 

Written by a leading authority on these remarkable insects, Wasps reveals a world of staggering variety and endless fascination and is packed with over 150 incredible colour illustrations.

 

 

Hymenoptera book cover.

Hymenoptera | May 2023 

Comprehensive and packed with richly illustrated keys and thousands of colour photographs, this volume provides the reader with an enjoyable introduction to a huge group of organisms.

 

FSC Discovery Guide: Buzzing Insects

FSC Discovery Guide: Buzzing Insects | March 2025 

From Marmalade Hoverflies to Chocolate Mining-bees, discover 30 stripy insects that buzz, whizz and hover through meadows, parks and gardens with this compact fold-out guide.

 

Author interview with Richard Lewington: Pocket Guide to British Spiders

Pocket Guide to British Spiders book cover.Featuring 130 of the most common and readily available spider species, Pocket Guide to British Spiders is the ideal companion for both beginners and more experienced enthusiasts alike. Detailing identifying features, webs, egg cocoons and behaviour, these accounts are interspersed with beautifully illustrated spreads showing similarities and differences at a glance, making this introductory guide the perfect companion for use in the field.

 

Richard Lewington is a renowned wildlife illustrator, whose beautifully detailed drawings feature in a wide array of identification guides including The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland, Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland, and Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1999, he was awarded Butterfly Conservation’s Marsh Award for the promotion of Lepidoptera conservation, as well as the Zoological Society of London’s Stamford Raffles Award for contribution to zoology in 2010.

We recently had the opportunity to speak to Richard about his latest book, including how he first became an author, why he chose to focus on arachnids and which techniques he uses to create these stunning illustrations.


Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you first became an author and illustrator? 

I became a freelance wildlife illustrator soon after leaving art college in the 1970s. I’ve always had an interest in the natural world, particularly butterflies and moths, so invertebrates were the subjects I concentrated on right from the start. I’ve always worked in collaboration with various experts, until about 25 years ago, when I wrote and illustrated my first book How to Identify Butterflies. Since then, I’ve written and illustrated five books, though most of the books I work on are collaborations with authors with specialist knowledge of the subjects. 

Pocket Guide to British Spiders is your 29th identification guide published since 1979. What inspired you to focus on arachnids for this book, and how did you choose which of the 680 British species to include?  

I’ve had an interest in spiders for many years and have a collection of paintings, some of which I did about 50 years ago. I thought they would form the basis of a pocket guide, and I added more illustrations in the last few years to go with those I already had. The aim was to include common, well-known and easily identifiable species – about 130 in total. As many spiders are very small and similar to each other, it is necessary to examine them through a microscope to identify many of them, which is the next step up for those who want to study them in greater detail.

Pocket Guide to British Spiders internal pages.

I was surprised to learn about the somewhat limited conservation efforts being undertaken to protect endangered spider species across Britain. What are the largest threats to spiders, and how can we protect these vital invertebrates in the future? 

As with much of the natural world, spiders are under threat from habitat loss and pollution, but because they don’t have the same appeal as some other groups, they receive less attention. However, they are just as important, helping to keep the balance in ecological systems by eating and being eaten by a vast number of other creatures. Gardens are becoming more important, and we can all help spider well-being by not being too tidy in the garden to encourage a good variety of mini habitats in which they can live.   

Pocket Guide to British Spiders includes a vast amount of detail on nomenclature, structure, anatomy, mythology, identifying features and more. What was the most interesting thing you learned while researching this book?  

Probably their diversity. They vary hugely in size, shape and colouring, and can be found in every habitat from mountain tops to beneath the surface of water. Many also occur throughout the year when many other invertebrates are dormant.

Pocket Guide to British Spiders internal pages.

Having illustrated many guides throughout your career, can you give us an overview of the techniques you use to create such detailed works of art, and explain how your painting style has evolved over time? 

I start by doing a detailed, measured drawing on layout paper. This is transferred to watercolour paper and, using Designers’ Gouache paints, I apply washes, gradually building the colour intensity and the effect of light and shadow. Details such as textures and highlights are added to give a three-dimensional appearance. More recently, I’ve been scanning the artwork before sending it to the publishers, so that I can adjust, enhance and touch-up the images using a tablet and image enhancing software.  

What were the most difficult aspects of illustrating spiders, given their intricate and often microscopic features? 

Spiders can’t be preserved in museum collections like butterflies and beetles, as they have soft bodies which shrivel after death, so working from live specimens or from detailed photographs are the best options. This means going into the countryside to find specimens and asking other spider enthusiasts to help. I like to take my own macro photographs from the exact angle to avoid any distortion, I can then work using the photos and the live specimen, observing it under my microscope. It’s also necessary to have a good knowledge, so that the subjects can be correctly identified, as some are very similar.   

Finally, what’s taking up your time at the moment? Are you planning to write or illustrate any more books over the coming years? 

My next book will be a field guide to Orthoptera, which I completed several years ago but has been long delayed. After that I shall be working on a project about my work as a wildlife illustrator, concentrating mainly on British moths, butterflies and their caterpillars.

Pocket Guide to British Spiders book cover.

Pocket Guide to British Spiders is available from our online bookstore.