European hornets have distinct looks, depending on their role in the central hive. Workers — the most common type seen flying around outside — grow to be about an inch to an inch-and-a-half long.

European hornets need hollow trees for their nests, which leads them to be found in forests and at the edge of forests, where new houses are being built at a steady pace.

The hornets can often be mistaken for other insects like yellow jackets, however, European hornets are larger by comparison and primarily yellow, black and red.

European hornets dine on spiders, caterpillars, grasshoppers, flies, bees, and other wasps. A large colony can consume a pound or more of insects per day.

A European hornet nest may consist of 200 to 400 individuals (with larger colonies numbering more than 1,000 hornets). Unlike common wasps which fly by day, hornets fly by day and after dark.

A European hornet made its way into a home in Romsey earlier this month. Questions were asked about the insect, and whether it was linked to the predatory Asian Hornet.

The European hornet has a distinct "teardrop" shape coming from the black stripe that's on the left. Murder hornets have stripes that go straight across.