Hornet nests are paper-like dwellings built by insects in the Vespidae family, including true hornets and certain yellowjackets. Unlike honeybee nests, they are not made of wax. Constructed entirely from processed natural materials, the intricate design provides a protected, climate-controlled environment necessary for the colony’s survival and growth.
Transforming Wood Fiber into Paper Pulp
Hornet nests are constructed from a unique paper pulp manufactured by the insects from cellulose fibers. Hornets use their powerful mandibles to scrape weathered wood sources, such as dead trees, fence posts, or unpainted wooden structures. They use softened, dried fibers from old or decaying material, not fresh, living wood.
The scraped wood is chewed and mixed with the hornet’s saliva, which contains proteins and enzymes that act as a binding agent. This process breaks down the wood fiber into a pliable, fast-drying paste, similar to papier-mâché. Spread in thin strips, the pulp dries and hardens into a lightweight, durable, and water-resistant paper. The varying colors on the nest exterior result from the different sources of wood and plant material collected by workers.
The Initial Stages of Nest Construction
The construction cycle begins in the spring when a newly fertilized queen emerges from hibernation to found a new colony. She selects a sheltered location, such as a hollow tree cavity, attic void, or protected tree branch, to shield the nascent nest from the elements. The queen then constructs a small, strong attachment point, often called a petiole or pedicel, which anchors the entire structure to the chosen substrate.
Around this central stalk, the queen molds the first few hexagonal cells, creating a small comb of about ten to twelve downward-facing chambers. She lays an egg in each cell and immediately begins to build a protective outer envelope around this initial brood chamber. This first stage results in a small, golf-ball-sized nest, which she defends and maintains while foraging for food to feed the developing larvae.
Once the first generation of worker hornets emerges, usually within a few weeks, construction shifts from solitary labor to a collective enterprise. These new workers immediately take over all duties, including foraging for wood pulp and expanding the nest structure. The queen then retires to the interior, where her sole function becomes the continuous laying of eggs to rapidly expand the colony.
Expansion and Internal Architecture
The nest grows throughout the warm season as the worker population expands the paper envelope to accommodate the rising number of inhabitants. The internal structure is complex, consisting of multiple horizontal tiers of hexagonal brood combs. These combs are stacked vertically, separated by air space, and supported by strong paper columns or pedicels connecting them to the comb above.
The space between the tiers allows for air circulation and permits hornets to move freely to feed and care for the developing larvae. As the colony grows, workers continuously scrape away the innermost layers of the outer envelope and add new material to the exterior. This process allows the nest to expand rapidly while maintaining a multi-layered shell that provides defense and insulation. The finished nest can resemble a large, gray, football-shaped structure by the end of the summer, before being abandoned when cold weather arrives.