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Inside a yellow jackets and bald face hornets nests
There are enough differences between yellow jackets and bald face hornets that they may at first seem like an unlikely subject for comparison. These two insects are different sizes, different colors, and build different nests. They even fly differently!
So why the comparison? Well as it turns out both the yellow jacket and the bald face hornet are wasps and both are from the same family of insects (Vespiade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespidae) and for all their differences there are some remarkable similarities.
Both yellow jackets and bald face hornets build paper nests. While baldface hornets build spherical nests in trees or buildings, yellow jackets tend to build them in voids. When we treat bald face hornets nests we usually cut them down, but yellow jacket nests are usually so well concealed that we have to leave them behind. Despite the difference in site selection the structure of these nests are very similar.
Every once in a while the yellow jackets break a rule and we are able to see the similarities between these two insects. We were excited for the chance to compare these two insects side by side. It was fascinating to see the similar patterns in their nest construction. Both in the construction of the combs and in the outer paper layer. One thing we observed but neglected to mention in the video is the difference in density between the two nests. The combs in the yellow jacket’s nest were considerably more dense than the bald face hornet combs.
We hope you enjoy this video, and if you should find yourself battling a colony of either of these insects we’ll be happy to help. Call All Seasons Pest Control today.
