A wasp nest is a complex, meticulously constructed home built by social wasps to serve as a shelter and a nursery for the developing colony. These structures are fabricated from a unique, paper-like material, which the wasps create by chewing dead wood fibers and mixing the pulp with their saliva. The resulting material dries into a sturdy, lightweight, and weather-resistant envelope. The queen chooses the location based on the need to protect the colony and ensure the successful raising of her offspring, leading to a wide variety of nesting sites.
Nests Built Above Ground
Many social wasp species prefer elevated, exposed locations that offer protection from the elements. These above-ground sites are often found attached to man-made structures that provide an overhang. Common examples include the undersides of roof eaves, porch ceilings, soffits, and sheltered spaces beneath decks and railings. This placement protects the delicate paper structure from rain and wind, especially during early construction.
Natural elevated sites, such as the branches of trees and dense shrubbery, are also frequently chosen. Bald-faced hornets, for instance, build large nests often suspended high in mature trees. The surrounding foliage provides camouflage and thermal insulation for these aerial nests. These aerial nests are typically built by the queen in the spring, and as the colony grows, worker wasps continually expand the structure throughout the summer season.
Hidden and Underground Nests
Many species prefer concealed or subterranean locations for enhanced security and temperature stability. Yellow jackets frequently nest in hidden cavities, often utilizing abandoned rodent burrows or naturally occurring voids in the soil. These ground nests are hard to spot, typically featuring only a small entrance hole surrounded by subtle piles of excavated dirt and stones.
In residential areas, yellow jackets and other social wasps exploit structural voids, finding shelter in attics, wall voids, and crawl spaces. These hidden locations offer superior insulation, helping the colony regulate temperature and humidity more effectively than an exposed nest. An internal nest may be indicated by increased wasp traffic entering and exiting a small opening, such as a weep hole or a crack in the foundation. Ground-based nests pose a hazard because they are easily disturbed, prompting a rapid defensive response from the colony.
How Different Wasp Species Build Their Homes
The architectural style of a wasp nest depends heavily on the species. Social wasps, including paper wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets, all use chewed wood pulp to create paper nests, but the resulting structures are distinct. Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped nests where the hexagonal cells are exposed. These are attached to an overhang by a single, slender stalk called a petiole.
Bald-faced hornets and yellow jackets construct nests that are fully enclosed by a protective outer envelope, giving them a football or volleyball shape. The bald-faced hornet’s nest is large, often suspended from a tree, and covered in a grayish, layered paper exterior with a single opening. Yellow jacket nests, whether underground or aerial, are also fully enclosed, but the paper material is more delicate and wavy.
Solitary wasps, such as mud daubers, do not form communal colonies or build paper nests. The female mud dauber creates individual, tubular nests for her offspring by gathering mud and clay. She shapes this into chambers where she provisions paralyzed prey for the larva. Solitary wasp nests are smaller, simpler, and less aggressive to encounter, often appearing as pipe-like structures attached to walls or under eaves.
Factors Influencing Nest Location Choice
The queen selects a nesting site to maximize the colony’s chances of survival and growth. A primary consideration is shelter from adverse weather, leading wasps to seek locations shielded from direct rain and wind. Protection is paramount, as moisture can compromise the structural integrity of the paper nest.
Temperature stability is another significant factor, especially for species nesting in the ground or structural voids. Concealed locations help regulate the internal nest temperature, ensuring the viability of developing eggs and larvae. Finally, the queen must select a location that provides access to building materials, such as untreated wood for paper pulp, and is close to reliable food and water sources.