Japanese Horntail vs German Yellowjacket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Japanese Horntail German Yellowjacket
Scientific Name Eriotremex formosanus Vespula germanica
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Siricidae Vespidae
Size 20-35 mm 12-16 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions East Asia, Taiwan, introduced to southeastern United States Europe, North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Japanese Horntail

A large wood wasp with a robust reddish-brown body and dark wings. Native to East Asia, it attacks stressed and recently felled hardwood trees.

💡

Did You Know?

This species was first detected in North America in 1974 and is one of the few tropical siricid wood wasps to establish invasive populations.

German Yellowjacket

A highly adaptable social wasp that has become one of the most widespread invasive insects globally. They build large enclosed paper nests in wall cavities and roof spaces.

💡

Did You Know?

Indoor nests in heated buildings can survive winter and grow to enormous sizes containing over a million cells.