Bald-faced Hornet (Queen) - Dolichovespula maculata
I found this little lady crawling around in the leaf litter. She was sluggish and appeared to just be waking up for spring.
Fertilized bald-faced hornet queens overwinter in safe locations, and then start new colonies in the spring. When she becomes active in the spring, she will collect cellulose from rotting wood, chew it up, add some saliva, and then uses this wood/spit concoction to make a nest. Next, she will rear the first brood on her own until they are functional. This first generation will then assume the duties of nest building, food collection, feeding larvae, and protecting the nest.
Habitat: Mixed forest
"Dolichovespula maculata" is a North American wasp commonly called the bald-faced hornet, bald hornet, white-faced hornet, white-tailed hornet, blackjacket or bull wasp. Its well-known features include its hanging paper nests and the females' habit of defending them with repeated stings.
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