Sometimes nests can be found in the ground. Once a location is found, she begins construction of the nest. The nest is made from a paper-like material gathered from decaying wood and fibres mixed with saliva. The queen lays her eggs in the cells and protects them until the larvae emerge. The larvae are fed until they pupate.
Adults emerge from the pupal cases approximately three weeks later.
Sterile female workers, the first adults to emerge, take over most of the duties of the queen. As a colony becomes larger, the sole responsibility of the queen is to reproduce. Thus, the colony can become very large by late summer. It is during this time that the overwintering queens are produced. The best method of control is to avoid contact with yellow jackets or any other kind of stinging insects.