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But very frightening!!  Through a glass (1lb jar) darkly!

It's a matter of opinion whether it's a pest or not, certainly troublesome later in the year when it's (her) off-spring are around in the late summer/autumn. Looks a lot like a queen wasp to me, lots around this year probably due to the ever-increasing milder winters not killing them off in hibernation.

cheers

I think that's a queen wasp. I don't regard them as pests at all, now I've sorted out how to keep them out of beehives.

We thought it might be a Hornet.

Hornets tend to be about in small numbers 8 - 10, wasps either solitary or with a huge following.

I have only encountered hornets once, & it was REALLY obvious that's what they were due to size, but I agree, not to be feared and are possibly protected?

I think you have a hornet in the jar.

See http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/general3.htm [about half way down the page]

I had one of these buzzing round the attic last autumn. I guessed it was looking for somewhere to over winter. They make an amazing amount of noise when flying.

Snap!!

Thanks, Berty.

My photo is discoloured with flash.

Tim we have had 2 of these already, frightening looking beasties!
I caught the last huge hornet in a glass jar, then let it go after I read up on it in my insect book which said along the lines of look nasty but actually one of the most docile! It also said they like to be around trees, got woods at the back of us, which explains that.
Wouldn't like to encouter one in a small space though! :o

Hope that they are hornets.
Watch out for 'french wasps', they are evil & are here!

Nasty buggers - they can sting!

Louise

Ohhh scary! I have a bit of phobia of hornets... My granddad was once stung by a giant Japanese hornet and nearly died.

Tim, how big is it? I wish I could show you a Japanese hornet. They are huge and look like a robot or something!!! I think bees are rather cute compared to hornets.

As said - that's in the bottom of a 1lb jar.

Could it be the hoverfly Volucella zonaria, which looks very much like a hornet?

http://www.sussexnatureweb.btinternet.co.uk/hoverflies.html