Early nest of Dolichovespula maculata

This appears to be the abandoned nest of Dolichovespula maculata , the Bald Faced Hornet. A few very large (queen?) individuals have been observed chewing the surface layer of deck boards, bird houses, etc, which are constructed of weathered cedar. These wood fibers are stripped in a chewing action - always "with the grain" it seems. The material is masticated by the insect, softened in the mandibles and mouth, and formed by the same organs into the intricate structures which are formed to house the future brood cells of the colony.

The nest pictured here had some damage to one side and likely will not survive another rainstorm.

Later the same June day as this photograph was made, a dead queen of this species was found on the driveway, just 3o meters from the nest. A coincidence? Mortality of the queens must be high this time of the year, when they are most vulnerable. This accounts, in part, for the relative rarity of the completed basketball size nests sometimes found in the fall. Quite often these are seen on the high limbs of maple trees. This one, and others, have been observed on the naked fall branches of Acer rubrum (the Red Maple).