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Wasps can be quite the mimic. They look a lot like honeybees, but you will rarely find a wasp that makes honey. However, they are quite incredible in making nests out of chewed wood pulp (read: paper). Sounds like paper maché, doesn’t it?
How do wasps make a nest?
The queen has the final say in almost every business of a wasp colony. Naturally, the queen is in charge of finding a good spot for the wasps to build a nest. They typically prefer sheltered spots, like under the eaves of your house, in a tree, or on a branch. After selecting the site, the queen proceeds to rip off small bits of wood with their strong jaws. The wood may come from trees and shrubs, or manmade stuff. They collect a mouthful of wood chips, and now the process of making ‘paper’ starts.
The saliva of the wasp contains an enzyme that can act on cellulose present in the wood scraps, and form a dry, waterproof substance, that the wasp uses to build its nest. To start constructing their nest, wasps create a small stalk or stem, known as a petiole, which serves as the foundation. This petiole is attached to the chosen surface, and it becomes the anchor for the nest. Think of it as the wasp’s version of a construction site’s cornerstone.
The paper mix is then molded into hexagonal cells. Once a cell is constructed, the queen wasp lays her eggs inside. These eggs will hatch into baby wasp larvae, which the adult wasps will feed and care for until they grow into adults themselves.
Different types wasp nests
There are three main types of wasps that you may find in your backyard–paper wasps, hornets and yellowjackets.
Among these, paper wasps make umbrella-shaped nests, and hornets choose to go for a nest that resembles a football. Both of these species make their nests on high branches.
Yellowjackets choose to be covert, and unlike their relatives, they make their nest underground.
Do wasps leave their nest?
It’s essential to note that paper wasp nests are not permanent. Once winter approaches, the colony will die off, and the nest will be abandoned. However, the next spring, a new queen will emerge from hibernation and start the cycle all over again.
Some feats of the insect world close the gap between humans and critters. Think of the diving bell spider, that can fashion a scuba tank out of its web. Some ants farm fungi. Now, we have wasps that make paper out of wood and fashion a nest. They don’t even need a huge, rumbling factory.
Glossary
Cellulose: A complex carbohydrate found in the cell walls of plants, which can be broken down by enzymes into simpler sugars.
Enzyme: A biological molecule that catalyzes chemical reactions in living organisms.
Paper maché: Bits of paper mixed with water and glue to form a slurry that can be sculpted. Forms a model once dry.
Hibernation: A state of dormancy or inactivity in some animals during the winter months to conserve energy.
Diving Bell Spider: A type of spider that creates a submerged “bell” out of silk to breathe underwater.
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