As mentioned in a previous post (https://naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com/2023/04/28/bald-faced-hornet-queens-soon-to-emerge-from-hibernation/ ) young Bald-faced Hornet queens are the only individuals in a nest to overwinter. Once they have emerged from hibernation, queens begin building a new nest. Most of us are familiar with hornets' large, globular nests that reach a foot or more in length, but it takes many hornets and many weeks for them to attain this size.
Initially the queen constructs three or four paper-mache-like cells that are surrounded by a very thin paper envelope. After she constructs this miniature nest, the queen lays an egg in each of the cells, and continues to enlarge the nest. When the first eggs hatch, the queen feeds the larvae while continuing to construct more cells and lay more eggs. When the larvae pupate and emerge as adult workers, they take over the task of enlarging the nest and rearing the larvae. From this point on, the queen's sole task is to lay eggs.
The starter nest which the queen constructs is tiny – the outer envelope is a mere inch in diameter. It is extremely delicate and vulnerable at this stage due to its light weight. Strong winds can easily detach the nest from the branch it's attached to. This is the time of year when it is possible to find miniature hornet nests littering the forest floor.
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