Hornet & Wasp Nest Identification Guide
Hornets & wasps, often seen as the malevolent counterpart to the more friendly, benign honey-bee, are actually considered beneficial insects. Hornets are predators of a variety of pests and some hornet species do engage in minor amounts of pollination as well. However, even with all the benefits hornets provide, they can also cause problems - especially if people with allergies are coming into conflict with them, as many hornet species can be aggressive & territorial; which helps them earn their infamous reputation.
We will not be discussing hornet control in this article, rather we will explore the nests of common hornet & wasp species, and the different shapes & sizes they come in. Hornet & wasp nests can be found hanging in the tallest of trees (aerial nests) and also deep underground (ground nests).
If you are looking to control hornets & wasps then please check out this article linked here: https://safesolutions.com/blogs/news/stinging-insects-ipm-yellow-jackets-hornets-and-wasps?_pos=1&_sid=d58fe1a69&_ss=r
Without further ado, let's dive in to the fascinating world of hornet nest structures!
Table of Contents:
Paper Wasps
Bald-Faced Hornets
Mud-Daubers
Yellowjackets
Murder Hornets
Final Thoughts
Paper Wasps
Let's start off with one of the most common wasps out there, the paper wasp (also called "umbrella wasps"). Paper wasps are social, meaning they will form groups of a few dozen or even a large colony of 100+, depending on how large they can build their nest structures. Although, their black & yellow coloring & stingers can seem imposing, paper wasps generally will not be aggressive unless their nest is disturbed. They are considered beneficial insects, as they hunt a variety of garden pests, in order to feed their larvae.
Paper wasp nests are left "open" and are often aerial nests, commonly found in trees, out-buildings, the eaves of structures; but they will also make nests inside hollow openings, such as: mailboxes, fence posts, and virtually any other wall-void.
Paper wasps build their nests out of, you guessed it, paper! Paper wasp colonies begin with a single queen that emerges early Spring from an overwintering shelter. This queen finds a suitable nest location and then collects material to begin construction. She thoroughly chews on scavenged wood to grind into a fine pulp for building material - a process called "mastication." Once she has a few eggs cells created on her new nest, she lays eggs to begin her colony. As the eggs hatch and the larvae grow up, they will begin to take over the responsibilities of further building & growing the nest.
Bald-Faced Hornets
Our next hornet nest structure belongs to the bald-faced hornet, whose name comes from its striking pale/ghostly appearance (also known as "white-faced hornets). Bald-face hornets are one of the larger hornet species, so much so that they actually hunt other types of hornets & wasps, like yellow-jackets. Unlike honeybees, which can only sting once, bald-faced hornets can sting multiple times - upwards of 15 times or more!
Bald-face hornet nest construction starts out exactly the same as paper wasps - a female bald-faced hornet queen emerges from her winter hiding place in Spring and builds a small nest with egg cells to house the first generation of her colony, however, this time she fully shields the cells and creates a spherical structure. As the colony grows, the new workers take over construction duties and, if left undisturbed, will build between 4 - 6 circular combs and can house around 400 - 700 bald-faced hornets.
Bald-faced hornet nests are aerial and can be found on low shrubs & decks or hanging from tall branches & utility poles. Much like the paper wasp, bald-face hornet nests are made from a paper pulp produced through the process of mastication.
Mud-Daubers
Mud Daubers are our first "solitary" wasp to make the list, contrasting from the "social" wasps previously shared. Solitary simply means that these wasps do not form large communal colonies and instead live alone. Mud Daubers are also unique to this list as (as their name suggests) they use mud to build nests, not paper.
Female mud daubers will gather wet mud by forming it into small little balls (as pictured above) and then create tubular cells. Once these cells are formed the mud dauber will deposit an egg into each cell and then pack the cells full of food (primarily spiders) and then finally will seal the cells off. Once the larvae hatch, they will engorge themselves on the food provided by their mother and will not leave the cells until they undergo "metamorphosis" into adult mud daubers.
Mud Dauber nests fall into the aerial category and are often found attached to walls (as pictured above) or other dry places, such as: trees, rocks, or even under the eaves of buildings. Mud Daubers are considered beneficial as they hunt many different types of garden pests, but their favorite food of all are spiders. They are also one of the least aggressive species of wasps and very rarely pose a stinging threat to humans.
Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets are one of the most common (dare I say the MOST common) wasp on this list and are responsible for much of the infamy garnered towards stinging insects. This is due to the fact that they are more aggressive than others on this list, especially during the Fall, and they frequently come into contact with humans as they forage for food.
Much like paper wasps & bald-faced hornets, a sole yellowjacket queen will emerge in the Spring and begin nest construction until the first generation of her offspring are of age to take over construction duties. A yellowjacket colony can reach 10,000 members or more and typically their population peak is reached late Summer. Even though yellowjackets are aggressive towards humans, they are still considered beneficial insects, as they are predators of all sorts of pests.
Yellowjackets are the first wasp on this list to construct both aerial AND ground nests. To create ground nests, yellowjackets often find rodent burrows, soil depressions, or any sort of small hole and will construct the same shape as they would an aerial nest. To locate their nest sites, you will see yellowjackets fluttering around or climbing out of a small hole in the ground (you will not typically see the ground nest, only the tunnel entrance). Below is a ground that was removed from the earth and is still fully intact!
Courtesy of Bee Control Pittsburgh.
Aerial nests are constructed in low hanging trees & shrubs, inside attics & wall voids, and hanging or attached to human structures.
Yellowjacket nest hanging from tree.
Here is a photo of a yellowjacket nest I took doing a removal for a family friend that had been constructed under their deck.
Yellowjacket nest under a deck.
Murder Hornets
Murder Hornet being held.
Back in 2019, "murder hornets" were found for the first time on United States & Canadian soil and sparked a fervor online. While commonly referred to as murder hornets, their actual name is the Asian Giant Hornet or Northern Hornets and they are native East Asia, such as: Japan, China, and Korea to name a few places. Their "invasion" of North America prompted a swift eradication campaign from the Washington State Department of Agriculture that oversaw the destruction of several nests over the course of a few years. No murder hornets have been sighted since 2021, and in 2024 they have been declared fully "eradicated" from the US.
Murder hornets are the largest hornets on the planet and as such are predators of all sorts of different bugs. Murder hornets are major predators of honeybees and will massacre entire hives in a short amount of time. For example, it only takes a handful of murder hornets (around 10 - 20) to eradicate a honeybee hive that numbers in the thousands in a few hours.
Similar to paper wasps, bald-faced hornets, and yellowjackets; murder hornets begin nest construction in the exact same manner. Murder hornets tend to only construct ground nests or nests inside of dead or hollow trees, and seldomly build aerial nests. If left undisturbed, murder hornet colonies can reach around 500 - 1,000 members in late Summer.
Murder Hornet Aerial Nest.
Final Thoughts
It's absolutely fascinating how so many hornets & wasps on this list undergo the same routine each year in nest construction, except all of their nests end up varying in size, design, and structure!
There is so much we can learn from the natural world that we can apply to our human world. For example, architects studied the structure of termite mounds and were able to utilize the same building methods to create homes that naturally cool themselves WITHOUT air conditioning.
When studying hornet & wasp nests, can we learn from their sustainable construction? Their methods for climate control? The efficiency of their design? In fact we have! One example is that many architects and have implemented design principles from the insects on this list, such as their hexagonal design that provides superior foundational strength.
Thank you very much for reading! If you enjoyed this article and want to read more, check out more from our Bug Blog. Make sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram or return here regularly so you don't miss the next one.