Baldfaced hornet

The Baldfaced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) is sometimes called the white-faced hornet, other than is actually a yellow jacket. It's simple to spot since it's our only black and white yellowjacket. Its nest is a gray "paper" cover with several layers of combs inside. A mature nest is bigger than a basketball, but pear-shaped, with the better end at the top and an entry hole near the bottom.

A solitary, over wintering queen begins building the nest in the spring. She lays eggs and tends the first batch of larvae that expand into workers. These workers be inclined new larvae and expand the nest throughout the summer. A mature colony can contain several hundred workers by the end of the summer. In fall, workers expire and next year's queens find over wintering sites.

Baldfaced hornets are helpful, capturing insects (often including other yellowjackets) to feed to their larvae. Though larger than other yellowjackets, Baldfaced hornets are normally more docile. But they can become violent and will sting when their nest is troubled or threatened.