Follow us on FacebookPest Gallery
Hornets: Vespa and Dolichovespula
Some of the most universally recognized and fear-provoking social wasp nets are the large grayish-brown carton structures often seen hanging from a tree or bush. The wasps which build such nests are commonly referred to as hornets, but they are really yellowjackets. The nest consists of several tiers of carton cells, each similar to the single tier of the Polistes nests in appearance. A continuous paper envelope surrounds the whole nest. There is generally a single opening at the lower tip of the nest. As the nest approaches its final size, the new combs are built below the level of this opening, which will then be positioned on the side of the nest.
The queen lays an egg in each cubicle, and the larvae (or grubs) will hatch within about two or three weeks (depending on food supply and temperature) to become worker hornets. Hornets are predacious insects, which means they eat other insects.
Click on the following links to learn more about specific bees:
