The conditions during the past two years have been good for the baldfaced hornet and more people are sighting the large, gray, paper nests and calling for information or service. Hornet nests are usually located in wooded areas, attached to a tree branch, but may be attached to shrubs, utility poles or house siding.
Hornets are a social wasp related to the yellowjackets and paper wasps.
These all live in colonies similar to those of honey bees and ants. The hornet colony is contained inside the nest constructed of paper-like material made from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva. The nest is composed of 3 or 4 tiers of combs within a thick, multilayered outer shell. A single opening at the bottom allows the hornets to fly in and out. The larva is a legless grub reared within cells in the nest.