Bald-face Hornet
	Paper Wasp
	Yellow Jacket

Bald-faced Hornet
Dolichovespula maculata

The bald-faced hornet constructs paper nests made from wood harvested from logs and trees. The nests take on a football shape and can grow up to two feet in length. Containing hundreds of worker wasps, these nests last one year and produce numerous queens. In the spring, the queen leaves the nest to form her own “comb” and produce offspring. The workers that emerge from that brood begin foraging for food, enlarging the nest, caring for the young and defending the colony.

Hornets will aggressively attack and sting any intruder threatening or disturbing the nest.

Identification
Size: About 1 inch in length.
Color: Bluish-black with white markings on its face, thorax and abdomen.

Habits
Typically, bald-faced hornets construct their nests on the branches of trees and shrubs. Normally, nests are within 10-12 of the ground. However, this hornet has been known to construct its nests on the sides of homes.

Tips for Control
Hornets and yellow jackets should only be controlled by an experienced professional. The danger of stings is considerable, especially when proper protective clothing and equipment are not worn

	SPRING
	SUMMER
	FALL
	WINTER