Yellow jackets are common stinging insects known for their distinctive black and yellow markings. This information focuses on the visual aspects of yellow jacket hives, providing details to help distinguish them from other insect dwellings.
Distinctive Visual Characteristics
Yellow jacket nests are typically enclosed structures, often round or oval in shape, resembling a papery ball. The exterior of the nest usually appears grayish or mottled, with a smooth, almost wavy, layered texture. These nests are constructed from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva. The color of the paper can vary depending on the wood sources used.
A single, small opening usually serves as the entrance to the nest. This opening is where yellow jackets fly in and out, often in a consistent flight path. Inside, the nest contains multiple tiers of horizontal combs.
Typical Nest Locations
Yellow jackets commonly build their nests in hidden and protected spaces. Many species prefer underground locations, often utilizing abandoned rodent burrows or soil cavities. These underground nests may only be visible by a small entrance hole, sometimes with a pile of dirt around it. Vibrations near these ground nests can agitate the colony.
Some yellow jacket species also construct nests in concealed aerial locations or within structures. These can include wall voids, attics, hollow trees, eaves, or under decks. While less common for some true yellow jacket species, these concealed spaces offer protection. The German yellow jacket, for instance, frequently nests inside the walls of buildings.
Differentiating from Other Wasp Nests
Unlike the open-comb nests of paper wasps, yellow jacket nests are fully enclosed by a papery envelope. Paper wasp nests often appear as an open, umbrella-shaped comb with visible hexagonal cells, typically suspended from a single stalk. Paper wasp nests are made from chewed wood fibers, but they lack the outer covering.
Hornet nests, such as those of the bald-faced hornet, are generally larger and often football-shaped, suspended from trees or buildings. Hornet nests consist of papery material, typically more spherical or tear-drop shaped, and can reach up to two feet in length. Yellow jacket nests, conversely, are frequently hidden in cavities or underground, making them less visible.
Size and Development Over Time
Yellow jacket hives are annual structures, built anew each spring by a single queen. The queen starts a small nest, laying the first eggs and caring for the initial brood. As the colony grows, worker wasps take over nest expansion and foraging.
Nests begin small in spring, often around the size of a golf ball. They expand considerably throughout summer, reaching the size of a basketball or larger by late summer or fall. By late summer, a colony can contain thousands of workers and cells. The entire colony, including workers and the old queen, typically dies off with cold weather, and the nest is not reused.