Mad as a hornet!
We spotted this European hornet furiously struggling to get out of this web and clear of this (brave) spider.
The drama took place outside the windows of the Castle Meeting Room on the second floor of WWT Arundel Wetland Centre. The hornet eventually broke free.
European hornets strike fear into the hearts of many. At 25-35mm long, hornets are big, but they are much less aggressive than wasps! If you do not disturb a hornet they are unlikely to sting. They pollinate plants while feeding themselves on insects, tree sap and fruit.
The hornet that is of concern is the non-native Asian hornet. Darker and smaller than the European hornet, sightings of these hornet should be reported to 'Asian Hornet Watch' via an app or by emailing the website alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
