Be a Nature Detective: Bald-faced Hornets
Did you know? • Bald-faced hornets ( Dolichovespula maculata) will sting if you get in their way, but will not attack if left alone. They are also beneficial insects. Hornets will aggressively attack and sting any intruder disturbing the nest. • Bald-faced hornets are considered social wasp s as they live in groups. Paper wasps and yellow jackets are also social wasps. • The queen becomes active in spring. She will select a place for the nest. • The workers, queen and larvae are referred to as a colony . • Hornets' nests can be found in trees, the eaves of homes, attics, or exterior porches. It does not build its nest inside the nooks of buildings as do yellow jackets . • The bald-faced hornets' nest looks like a gray paper/clay ball . It can sometimes reach the size of a basketball. The inside is lined with individual cells, like a honey comb, where the queen will lay her eggs. The nests are made by chewing up wood mixed with their saliva.