2 Bugs That Look Like Bald-Faced Hornets

1. Yellowjacket

A sleek, bright yellow-and-black wasp that nests underground or in wall voids. Late-summer workers scavenge for sweets and meat and are drawn to picnics and trash cans.

How it differs:

• Size: Bald-Faced Hornets are larger, reaching 20 mm, while yellowjackets top out around 16 mm.
• Color: Bald-Faced Hornets are black and white; yellowjackets are yellow and black.
• Where found: look for bald-faced hornets on trees and shrubs and in yards and on patios; yellowjackets turn up in lawns and grass, in yards and on patios and in gardens and on plants.

2. European Hornet

The only true hornet established in North America, a large brown-and-yellow wasp that nests in hollow trees, barns and wall voids. It often flies at night and is attracted to lights.

How it differs:

• Size: European Hornets are larger, reaching 35 mm, while bald-faced hornets top out around 20 mm.
• Color: Bald-Faced Hornets are black and white; European hornets are brown and yellow.
• Signature feature: Bald-Faced Hornets: black body with a white face and white tail markings. European Hornets: large wasp with a reddish-brown head and thorax.

Side-by-side comparison

Quick identification checklist

1. Count the legs. Bald-Faced Hornets have 6 legs.
2. Check for wings. Bald-Faced Hornets have wings.
3. Measure it. Bald-Faced Hornets are 15–20 mm (up to about 0.79 in).
4. Look for the signature feature: black body with a white face and white tail markings.
5. Note where you found it. Bald-Faced Hornets are usually on trees and shrubs and in yards and on patios.

When you'll see bald-faced hornets

Bald-Faced Hornets are most active in summer and fall. Summer heat speeds up development, so populations can grow quickly. In fall, many bugs look for shelter, and some move toward or into buildings.

Typical places to check: trees or shrubs and yard or patio.

About bees & wasps

The bald-faced hornet is one of the bees & wasps. Bees and wasps belong to the same order as ants. Social species such as honey bees, bumble bees, yellowjackets and hornets live in colonies with a queen, while solitary species such as mud daubers and cicada killers raise their young alone. Only females can sting, because the stinger is a modified egg-laying tube.

Social wasp colonies grow all summer and are largest and most defensive in late summer and early fall. Most colonies die off in winter, leaving only new queens to start over in spring.

Are bald-faced hornets or their lookalikes dangerous?

• Bald-Faced Hornet: Bald-faced hornets deliver painful stings and attack in numbers when their nest is disturbed.
• Yellowjacket: Yellowjackets sting repeatedly and defend nests aggressively; multiple stings or an allergy can be dangerous.
• European Hornet: European hornet stings are very painful, and colonies defend their nest, though workers are less aggressive away from it.

Frequently asked questions