Hornet

Hornets are super-sized wasps, and they are amazing builders! They make their homes, called nests, out of chewed-up wood mixed with their spit. This sticky stuff dries into a papery material.

Some nests can be as big as a basketball! Inside, thousands of hornets live together, working like a busy city. They have a queen who lays all the eggs, and worker hornets who do everything else, like finding food and protecting the nest.

Hornets are hunters! They are carnivores, which means they love to eat other insects. They are super fast flyers and can catch flies, bees, and even other wasps right out of the air. Sometimes, they'll even eat fruit or sap. They use their strong jaws to munch up their meals. When they hunt, they are helping keep the number of other insects from getting too big.

Some hornets are quite large, especially the Asian giant hornet. It can be as long as your thumb! Imagine an insect that big! They have powerful stingers that they use to defend themselves or to paralyze their prey. While their sting can be painful, they usually only sting if they feel threatened. They are important for keeping other insect populations in check.

Hornets can be found all over the world, except for very cold places like Antarctica. You might find them in forests, gardens, or even near farms. They like to build their nests in hidden spots, like inside hollow trees, under eaves of buildings, or sometimes underground. Different kinds of hornets live in different parts of the world, from Europe to Asia and North America.