Reuse of bald faced horntets' nest in the North?

10 years ago

Does anyone know if the bald-faced hornets ever reuse their nests after the winter in the north? We're Zone 5B, but probably more like 6A, due to being in a very bluff protected and warmer micro-climate along the Mississippi River. Its said they do reuse in the tropics..

We have a huge one, looks like a football about 2.5 ft long by 1 ft. wide. hanging from tree. I'd like to take it for display if there's no chance they'll reuse it next year. Otherwise, and yes I know its a little risky, I'd like to leave it hang. They were not a bothersome and I noticed a real lack of mosquitoes and other pests in the yard this year despite tons of rain. I see them hunting in the air often. Wonder if they did some good.

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
a teacher at the middle school.. of which i was visiting last week for conferences... had some hanging from the ceiling .... perhaps you can donate it ...

i left one to hang one fall ... by spring.. in z5 MI... it basically fell apart.. late in the winter... probably got to wet and with the freeze/thaw cycle.. it just decimated in a spring wind storm ...

no one home to do the maintenance.. lol ...

how that changes one zone warmer i know not ...

ken
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calliope
10 years ago
We have bald faced hornets build somewhere on our property every year, I see them and know which plants they are usually found on and when they normally appear around my fruits and respect them enough to avoid accidentally coming into contact with them and they've not been an issue at all. We usually do not find their nest until leaves fall, and it's in a different location each year, and yes I've brought one inside once since I know they do not overwinter in them and no babies were going to hatch in the house. LOL. I have also found that they do not survived intact until spring in our area. If they did, I'd suspect an interloper type of wasp would be what would take them over, as bald face hornets, to the best of my knowledge will build new each year at least in our climate.
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No. All the workers die. The mated queens seek shelter elsewhere. Wind, rain and snow will destroy the nest.
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calliope
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Unlike honeybees who start up new nesting sites, hornets do not leave an existing colony with a hoard of workers in tow and seeking a large space in which to start operation. They start out as individual, fertile queens who will lay eggs to become workers. Therefore she'll only add to her paper nest as she needs the space until by the end of summer, it has grown from a tiny ball into a football.
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morz8 - Washington Coast
10 years ago
They won't use it again next year....

extension.iastate.edu: Preserving and Displaying Bald Faced Hornets Nest -
The easiest method of collecting a nest is to wait until after the hornets have abandoned the nest in the fall (after the first hard freeze or by late October). Collect the nest as soon as possible because exposed, unprotected nests are subject to destruction by wildlife and weather. There may be few, if any hornets in a nest collected in late fall. If you feel the need to be extra-cautious, leave the nest in a garage or porch where it will be protected from the weather until mid-winter. Then bring the nest indoors for display. Leaving the nest in the garage also eliminates the slight risk that the carcasses of hornets and larvae that remain in a collected nest may produce a mild odor before they completely dry up.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
I displayed one in my office for years and another one in my classroom at the community college. They're beautiful, aren't they? Yours isn't nearly as large as the southern versions!
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Reuse of bald faced horntets' nest in the North?

Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

calliope

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calliope

morz8 - Washington Coast

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

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