Dolichovespula saxonica
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Dolichovespula saxonica, also known as the Saxon wasp, is a common social wasp found in the Palearctic region, specifically in large parts of Europe and in northern and central Asia. Although originally from continental Europe, D. saxonica has since colonised Britain, mainly in the south and east, but has been recorded as far north as East Lothian, Scotland. Most of their nests are above ground in trees and bushes, but they can also be found in buildings. Due to the proliferation of nests in urban areas and near residential homes, D. saxonica can be a pest for people. As a result, many human interventions are in place to remove Saxon nests. D. saxonica has been found to use chemical signaling in a lot of behaviours, such as alarm calls, fertility cues, and chemical trails.
The Saxon wasp is part of the family Vespidae, a large family of varied wasp species. Within the Vespidae is the genus Dolichovespula, which is derived from the Greek word “dolikhos,” meaning “long.” This describes the characteristic long face found within the genus, as opposed to the short and round faces found in the genus Vespula. Dolichovespula contains 18 species, including D... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 2 | Hamburg | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Munich | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Yekaterinburg | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 5 | Nizhny Novgorod | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 6 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 7 | Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 8 | Saint Petersburg | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 9 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Saxon Wasp sighting in Hamburg on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 158th most-seen of the 423 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May to July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Saxon Wasp in Hamburg on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Saxon Wasp sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Saxon Wasp sightings, Hamburg ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Helsinki (Finland, about 10%).
Same family: Vespidae
The closest relatives of the Saxon Wasp that you can see in Hamburg (family Vespidae, Hornets, Paper Wasps, Potter Wasps, and Allies) are Common European Yellowjacket (about 20%), European Hornet (about 20%) and German Yellowjacket (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Saxon Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Hamburg (16 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
