Specieswatch: European hornets visit our pond in the heatwave

European hornets have moved north with climate change, but are generally less aggressive than common wasps

In a drought, all sorts of wildlife gets attracted to a garden pond since there are few other sources of water nearby. Regular visitors are wasps, the largest of which is the European hornet, Vespa crabro, which dwarfs common wasps because it is twice the size, at 25mm long.

According to the experts it is less aggressive than the common wasp, but carries a substantial sting - so requires respect. Although once confined to the extreme south of Britain because it was too cold further north, climate change has allowed hornets to extend their range as far north as Scotland, and they are now common in the Midlands and central England.