Vespa crabro
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The European hornet (Vespa crabro) is the largest eusocial wasp native to Europe. It is also the only true hornet (genus Vespa) found in North America, having been introduced to the United States and Canada from Europe as early as 1840. Vespines, such as V. crabro, are known for making intricate paper-like nests out of surrounding plant materials and other fibers. Unlike most other vespines, reproductive suppression involves worker policing instead of queen pheromone control, as was previously thought.
This species stings in response to being stepped on or grabbed, but generally avoids conflict. It is also defensive of its nest and can be aggressive around food sources. Care should be taken when they are found in these circumstances, as they may sting without warning. European hornets are largely carnivorous and hunt large insects such as beetles, wasps, large moths, dragonflies, and mantises. They also feed on fallen fruit and other sources of sugary food. Mutual predation between medium-sized hornets and the Asilidae (robber flies) is often reported.
The European hornet is a true hornet (genus Vespa), a group characterized by eusocial species. The genus is in the subfamily... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 7 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Picos de Europa National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 9 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 10 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 11 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 12 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 13 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a European Hornet sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 97 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 46th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August to October
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a European Hornet in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in December and January, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Hornet sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 13 parks where we can rate European Hornet sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Cévennes National Park (France, about 20%) and Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain, about 20%).
Same family: Vespidae
The closest relatives of the European Hornet that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Vespidae, Hornets, Paper Wasps, Potter Wasps, and Allies) are Eastern Yellowjacket (about 10%), Bald-Faced Hornet (about 10%) and Common Aerial Yellowjacket (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Hornet is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (97 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
