Need help identifying this wasp/hornet I am currently on holiday in southern France and have noticed that the house we are staying in has somewhat of a hornet/wasp problem. Is there anybody that can help in identifying it? My best guess is a European Hornet but I'm no expert so may be wrong. Below are some pictures. Sorry they couldn't have been of any clearer quality, they were taken through a window, and I didn't particularly feel like going out to get any closer because I've heard that some hornets can be quite aggressive even if unprovoked. From what I saw, it has visible fur, and is around 2cm in length. The feature that led me to it being a Hornet is that the waist gets smaller before the abdomen. ![enter image description here]( ![enter image description here]( ![enter image description here](

This looks like a European hornet _Vespa crabro_ to me. Wasp-like appearance, red on head and thorax and base of the abdomen. And the legs are red/dark, not yellow.

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Picture from wikipedia

Hornets can be aggressive, especially if you come near the nest. Usually, European hornets are actually not really interested in people (unlike other wasps). But if there are many around your house, it is likely the nest is near, so be careful and perhaps contact the owner of the house.