Hornets are social insects known for their elaborate nests, which are remarkable feats of natural engineering. These structures are carefully constructed habitats that support the entire colony’s life cycle. Hornet nests showcase the insects’ intricate building capabilities, from their unique composition to their functional design.
Core Materials
The primary material for a hornet’s nest is a paper-like substance derived from wood fibers. Hornets collect these fibers by scraping wood from various sources like dead trees, fences, and unpainted wooden structures. They chew the wood into a fine pulp, which is then mixed with their saliva, acting as a binding agent. This mixture creates a durable, paper-like material that hardens as it dries. The color variations in nests reflect the different wood sources hornets use.
The Building Process
The construction of a hornet’s nest begins in the spring with a single queen. She selects a suitable, sheltered location like a tree branch, shrub, or building overhang. The queen builds a small, initial nest, starting with a stem-like anchor called a pedicel to suspend it. She forms the first hexagonal cells and an outer envelope from the paper pulp.
Once her first offspring, sterile female workers, emerge, they take over most of the nest expansion. These workers apply paper pulp in sequential layers, allowing each layer to dry and harden before adding the next. The colony continuously adds new cells and outer layers as the population grows throughout the season. This allows for rapid nest development, with larger nests reaching full size over several months.
Nest Architecture and Design
A hornet’s nest features a distinctive layered, papery outer shell. This outer covering, gray or brownish, provides insulation and protection from predators and the elements. Inside this protective envelope are tiered, horizontal combs composed of hexagonal cells. These cells are efficient for raising young, minimizing material and allowing for compact storage.
The internal structure includes support columns, or pedicels, which connect the different comb tiers, creating pathways for hornets. This design promotes airflow and helps regulate the nest’s internal temperature and humidity, crucial for larval development. Hornets maintain a stable temperature inside the nest, often between 28-30°C, even when external temperatures fluctuate. Nests have one or more entrance holes, usually at the bottom.