The German wasp is one of the most common wasp species in Europe. It belongs to the short-headed wasps and has a round head.
The German wasp has a black-and-yellow pattern. It has a wasp waist and three distinctive black spots on its clypeus. The queen is 17–20 mm long, drones 13–17 mm, and workers are 12–16 mm.
The German wasp’s life cycle lasts from May to November. The wasps form large colonies of about 1,000 to 7,000 individuals. The German wasp builds its nests in sheltered cavities, such as holes in the ground or niches in buildings. Nest-building begins in the spring, and the papery, gray nests grow to considerable sizes. However, they last only one season. With the exception of a few fertilized females, the entire wasp colony dies in November.