How Do Wasps Make Hives?
During spring, a queen wasp starts to build her nest. It is a hexagonal-shaped cell that contains her eggs. She starts by scraping wood fibers off of fences or logs. Then she mixes the wood fibers with saliva and breaks them down in her mouth. This soft pulp dries to form a nest that looks like a paper honeycomb.
Once the nest is finished, the queen wasp lays eggs in it. The nest grows larger with each generation. The nest also contains pheromones that attract other wasps to the site. When one is killed, a pheromone alerts other wasps of the danger.
Wasps are social creatures that live in colonies. They are capable of forming a nest at virtually any location, but they prefer to live in natural cavities, such as hollow trees or eaves.
Wasps can be found in more than thirty thousand species. The social wasps live in large colonies, while the solitary wasps live alone. They prefer to live in high, open places like eaves, and are sometimes found in attics.
During spring, the queen wasp searches for a suitable nest site. The nest is a network of wood pulp and saliva. It is sturdier than you might think. It grows at different rates, with its highest point in the autumn. In the winter, it decomposes naturally.
Paper wasps are classified as beneficial yard pests. Their nests are made of chewed wood fibers, saliva, or mud. They are incredibly efficient at building their nests.