What kind of nest is this? - Ask Extension
This nest was found in our front yard in Littleton. I assume it fell from our Locust tree or maybe blew across from elsewhere? Any ideas as to what ...
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What kind of nest is this? #890871
Asked December 17, 2024, 1:54 PM EST
This nest was found in our front yard in Littleton. I assume it fell from our Locust tree or maybe blew across from elsewhere?
Any ideas as to what kind of bug would make it?
Arapahoe County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Rick,
That nest appears to be a bald-faced hornet nest or an aerial yellowjacket nest. Both species tend to make their nests high in a tree during the spring/summer, and the nests usually aren't visible until the leaves fall off the tree. Over the fall and winter, the abandoned nests fall out of the trees and eventually disintegrate. Both species only live a one-year lifecycle, so all the nest occupants have died. The only survivors will be some newly mated queens that tend to hibernate elsewhere. When spring arrives, the queen will wake up and start building a new nest.
These two species don't pester people unless their nest is threatened. Someone climbing the tree could be at risk for a sting, but otherwise, both species keep tend to themselves. They benefit us by preying on pest insects in our landscapes.
Usually if a wasp is a nuisance to humans, it is a Western yellowjacket, a scavenger that loves to feed on human food (e.g. the wasps flying around your BBQ, trash cans, etc.). They are usually the species responsible for stings. Over 90% of all insect stings are from western yellowjackets. Western yellowjackets are underground nesters.
The other species that tends t be a nuisance to humans is the European paper wasp. They are an invasive species that build open-faced nests under house eaves, in dark sheds, etc. Since they build nests near human activity, they may sting, but prefer to keep to themselves. They prey on butterfly and moth caterpillars.
Your picture of the nest is incredible! The architecture of their nests are always so impressive! Wasps complete a full metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). An egg is laid in each individual cell. The female wasps feed the larva prey (e.g. insects). When the larva is full-grown, the female wasp will seal the nest cell. The wasp pupates into an adult and emerges. You can see where the wasps "broke" through the cap on the nest cells. All that work to build the nest, and they will never reuse the nest again!
Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks,
Lisa
Lisa Mason
Horticulture Specialist, Entomologist
Colorado State University in Arapahoe County
That nest appears to be a bald-faced hornet nest or an aerial yellowjacket nest. Both species tend to make their nests high in a tree during the spring/summer, and the nests usually aren't visible until the leaves fall off the tree. Over the fall and winter, the abandoned nests fall out of the trees and eventually disintegrate. Both species only live a one-year lifecycle, so all the nest occupants have died. The only survivors will be some newly mated queens that tend to hibernate elsewhere. When spring arrives, the queen will wake up and start building a new nest.
These two species don't pester people unless their nest is threatened. Someone climbing the tree could be at risk for a sting, but otherwise, both species keep tend to themselves. They benefit us by preying on pest insects in our landscapes.
Usually if a wasp is a nuisance to humans, it is a Western yellowjacket, a scavenger that loves to feed on human food (e.g. the wasps flying around your BBQ, trash cans, etc.). They are usually the species responsible for stings. Over 90% of all insect stings are from western yellowjackets. Western yellowjackets are underground nesters.
The other species that tends t be a nuisance to humans is the European paper wasp. They are an invasive species that build open-faced nests under house eaves, in dark sheds, etc. Since they build nests near human activity, they may sting, but prefer to keep to themselves. They prey on butterfly and moth caterpillars.
Your picture of the nest is incredible! The architecture of their nests are always so impressive! Wasps complete a full metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). An egg is laid in each individual cell. The female wasps feed the larva prey (e.g. insects). When the larva is full-grown, the female wasp will seal the nest cell. The wasp pupates into an adult and emerges. You can see where the wasps "broke" through the cap on the nest cells. All that work to build the nest, and they will never reuse the nest again!
Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks,
Lisa
Lisa Mason
Horticulture Specialist, Entomologist
Colorado State University in Arapahoe County
Lisa,
Thanks for the quick response..! My thinking from going to pictures on the internet, which is never wrong, it was an Asian Hornet nest which is an invasive species that preys upon honeybees. That would have been disastrous..!
I'll go with your observation.
Now my wife thinks it's beautiful and wants ot make some sort of table decoration out of it but I'm not sure. Is there any chance of the unopened cells having soon to be hatched larvae in them? I plan to tap each with a thin wire probe just in case. And, spray it with a good lacquer to seal them.
Thank you,
Rick Pangell
On Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 01:32:34 PM MST, Ask Extension wrote:
Hi Rick,
The Northern Giant Hornet (formerly known as the Asian Giant Hornet) has thankfully been eradicated from Washington state! Even if the Northern Giant Hornet made it's way to Colorado, it wouldn't be able to survive in higher elevations and dry climates.
When everyone was worried about the Northern Giant Hornet coming to Colorado, so many of the stingless wasps were killed out of fear. Notably, the Pigeon Tremex Horntail often took the brunt because it's a larger, "scary-looking" wasp. She is completely harmless/stingless though, and has a specialized ovipositor that looks like a stinger to lay eggs in the bark of dead/dying trees.
If there are closed cells in your nest, the larva/pupae in the cells should have frozen by now. They would be very sensitive to the elements and likely died awhile ago. The nest material can disintegrate with water, so maybe test a small area with the lacquer before coating the entire nest. I don't know if it would disintegrate with the lacquer. What a wonderful table decoration! It's a great conversation starter--humans decided to make paper out of wood fibers after observing how wasps make paper nests.
Thanks!
Lisa
Lisa Mason
Horticulture Specialist, Entomologist
Colorado State University in Arapahoe County
The Northern Giant Hornet (formerly known as the Asian Giant Hornet) has thankfully been eradicated from Washington state! Even if the Northern Giant Hornet made it's way to Colorado, it wouldn't be able to survive in higher elevations and dry climates.
When everyone was worried about the Northern Giant Hornet coming to Colorado, so many of the stingless wasps were killed out of fear. Notably, the Pigeon Tremex Horntail often took the brunt because it's a larger, "scary-looking" wasp. She is completely harmless/stingless though, and has a specialized ovipositor that looks like a stinger to lay eggs in the bark of dead/dying trees.
If there are closed cells in your nest, the larva/pupae in the cells should have frozen by now. They would be very sensitive to the elements and likely died awhile ago. The nest material can disintegrate with water, so maybe test a small area with the lacquer before coating the entire nest. I don't know if it would disintegrate with the lacquer. What a wonderful table decoration! It's a great conversation starter--humans decided to make paper out of wood fibers after observing how wasps make paper nests.
Thanks!
Lisa
Lisa Mason
Horticulture Specialist, Entomologist
Colorado State University in Arapahoe County
