Yellow Legged Hornet Look-alikes
A Quick Guide to the Morphological Features of Some Native and Invasive Wasps, Hornets and Bees in South Carolina
Size is not to scale and not good for comparison. Northern giant hornet (Asian giant hornet) and yellow-legged hornet are currently NOT found in South Carolina.
Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp, Sphecius speciosus
Size ≈ 1.5 - 2.2 inches
Northern Giant Hornet (Asian Giant Hornet), Vespa mandarinia
Size ≈ 1.5 - 2 inches
© Hanna Royals, USDA APHIS PPQ
© Washington State Department of Agriculture
Yellow-legged Hornet, Vespa velutina
Size ≈ 0.7 - 1 inch
© Oliver Keller and Krystal Ashman, University of Florida
© Oliver Keller and Krystal Ashman, University of Florida
European Hornet, Vespa crabro
Size ≈ 1 - 1.3 inches
Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa virginica
Size ≈ 0.5 - 1 inch
Bumblebee, Bombus spp.
Size ≈ 0.4 - 1 inch
European Honey Bee, Apis mellifera
Size ≈ 0.3 - 0.7 inch
Southern Yellowjacket, Vespula squamosa
Size ≈ 0.4 - 0. 7 inch
Southern Yellowjacket Queen, Vespula squamosa
Size ≈ 0.4 - 0.8 inch
Bald-faced Hornet, Dolichovespula maculata
Size ≈ 0.4 - 0.7 inch
Red Paper Wasp, Polistes carolina
Size ≈ 0.4 - 0.8 inch
Mason Wasp, Pseudodynerus quadrisectus
Size ≈ 0.4 – 0.7 inch
Thread-Waisted Wasp, Ammophila spp.
Size ≈ 1 inch
Smoky Winged Beetle Bandit, Cerceris fumipennis
Size ≈ 0.4 – 0.7 inch
Scoliid Wasp, Campsomeris plumipes
Size ≈ 0.4 – 0.7 inch
Pigeon Tremex Wasp, Tremex columba
Size ≈ 1.5 inches
