How Do Wasps Make Paper Nests?
WouterDuring the summer, paper wasps are caretakers for the young wasps in the colony. They feed the larvae with food and caterpillars. They also prey on insect pests in gardens and agricultural crops. They also eat fallen fruit around fruit trees.
In the spring, the paper wasp queen builds a small core nest. She protects the nest with a paper envelope. The queen then searches for wood fiber. She scrapes it with her strong jaws. She then mixes it with saliva. The paper pulp is a mixture of wood and saliva, which forms a malleable pulp.
A paper wasp colony begins when a mated female leaves her hibernation site. Her workers construct new cells as they need them. The nest eventually contains 200 hexagonal cells, which are honeycomb-shaped.
Workers also add wood pulp ribbons to the nest. The finished nest will be about the size of a basketball. It is often suspended from tree branches or eaves.
Paper wasps can live for up to a year. They live in colonies of about 20 to 75 adults. If you have paper wasps in your house, it is best to remove the nest after the season is over. This will prevent new hornet colonies from setting up in your home.
If you have a paper wasp nest in your house, consider getting professional help to remove it. You can also try pruning bushes to discourage paper wasps from nesting in them.
Social wasps usually prefer manmade structures, but some species prefer to nest in rock crevices. You can also protect your home from hornets by using a fake nest.
