Queen wasp or interloper?

[Headnavigator]

Just seen what I initially took to be a large queen wasp under the hive, robbing the body of a dead bee. However its black chevrons down the back had a centre like a sharp black spike, not separated, and I have not seen a QW looking like that before round here. Have studied the BBKA pictures of Hornets, and those on line but cannot find anything to match. Any ideas, anyone? Sorry I didn't have my camera (but immediately post-inspection and not gowned up I would have been asking for it to have gone under the hive after it!)

 

[beebopalula]

European Hornets have brown and yellow abdomens. Asian Hornets have mostly black abdomens with an orange 4th segment with small black chevron. Hope it is not one of them - was the wind blowing from France or Spain?

 

[Headnavigator]

Wind from France. This creature's abdomen was yellow/black stripe (wasp colours) with the central black line joined down the back and looking 'spike' like, and unlike any wasp I've seen!

 

[Oscarmonster]

Maybe worth setting a hornet trap?

 

[enrico]

Sounds like a hornet to me..... Google it

 

[Headnavigator]

None of the hornets on google have the continuous black line down the back. I guess, like bees, they may vary?

 

[Woeski]

I have seen lots of queen wasps yesterday and today. Only about 30 mile north of you.
I think the sun has got them out. They are likely to be hungry after being camped in for a while with the rain. They don't usually go for dead bodies. They like their food fresh.

 

[Woeski]

Google Vespula germanica (European wasp). Wiki has a good image. Markings are variable as with bees.

 

[johnandyrob]

How about median wasp? slightly larger and darker than normal wasps

 

[poshpikey]

Watched my bees dealing with a wasp today while I was inspecting them! Very satisfying. Last time I opened them up (a week ago) there was another one under the roof.