How and why wasp nests are constructed
Hello there! Do you know that from yellow jackets to hornets to paper wasps, everyone of those buzzing friends are social insects? They construct nests for their young and diversity busy colonies.
Recently, however, more of us seem to be warming up to bees and wasps a little more as we realize the vital role they play in our ecosystem. Yes, they can be annoying when we are trying to eat on our picnic, but they have some superpowers! But bees and wasps don’t just help pollinate our flowers and crops, they also control all those annoying crop pests and dangerous insects.
Sure, each wasp species may have its taste in the size and architecture of the nests they create, but they go through a similar building process. Wondering what they use to construct their houses? It’s wood!
The Construction Zone
The queen wasp is the mastermind behind choosing the perfect spot for the hive, which might be:
Hanging from tree branches
Snuggled against a house
Tucked into the eaves of a roof
Cozily situated inside a garage
Or even underground for some adventurous species
Wasps are very crafty and can construct their nests literally anywhere that provides support.
They typically choose an obscure, quiet area, in order not to disturb others. Though occasionally, their favorite spots are right in the middle of human activity, a bit of a problem.
When a queen picks a spot, worker wasps get to work collecting wood fibers from sources such as branches, fences or even cardboard. They chew them and mix them with water and saliva to create a soft, sticky paper pulp.
At the site they begin to sculpt this pulp, using their front legs and mandibles to place it onto the surface. When it dries (as it does) it becomes a strong paper lattice and is the base of the entire nest.
The Architectural Design
A wasp nest differs in appearance between species. Yellow Jackets tunnel in for umbrella-shaped underground nests, hornets like it big with nests shaped like footballs, and paper wasps go for the pinecone structure.
The exterior of a wasp nest can vary a great deal, but the inside is surprisingly uniform, filled with a series of hexagonal cells. These have been the warm rooms in which the queen lays her eggs and raises her progeny.
The primary goal is to protect the young and establish a flourishing colony. The wasps then carefully layer paper pulp in a hexagonal arrangement to reinforce these inner cells.
Once they’ve constructed the structure, the queen finishes building it by adding more layers of paper to cover the cells to protect her brood from predators and harsh weather.
Seasonal Lifestyle
Spring through late summer or early autumn is the time that wasps reside in their nests. The nest is at its busiest towards the end of summer, when the colony size is at its maximum.
As winter approaches and food runs out, the colony soars up. The only survivor is typically a fertilized queen that hibernates in old trees, basements or roof spaces.
Once the colony has died out and the weather heats up again, the cycle can begin again. And, for the record, wasps don’t use old nests!
Isn’t nature fascinating? So next time you are looking at a wasp nest, think of all the complex work that is spent building those nests!
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