November 9, 2025: In the Hornet's Nest

After a few more cold nights this week I decided it was safe to go back to study the large Bald-faced Hornet nest I found this fall. (see Oct 5 Journal) 

I took it off the tree and sliced it down the center line through the entry door and peeled it open.  I found the internal structure fascinating.

Inside were three tiers of beautifully constructed hexagonal paper combs.  

These aren't honey combs, but rather incubator chambers for larvae.  The hexagonal structure is found throughout nature because it's the most efficient form to maximize volume with the least construction material.  

Though most of the cells were empty, a few had larvae in them that hadn't matured before the cold weather arrived.

A couple of larvae in the comb.

The site iNaturalist has a good description of the life cycle of these members of the yellow jacket family, but I'll give a short summary here.  

The nest is started by a single inseminated queen that overwintered on the ground - the only member of a nest that survives to the next year.  She starts a small nest and raises young until there are enough to take over nest construction and feeding of larvae, at which point the queen dedicates all her time to laying eggs of workers.  The workers expand the nest by chewing up soft wood and bark, combining it with their saliva to create the paper for the cells and the outer protective covering.  When the first tier is full they start on a second and third tier.  The workers also bring food to the larvae in the nest.

In late summer the queen starts to lay fertile male and females eggs.  These will fly from the nest and mate, presumably with insects from a different nest.  The males, as well as the queen and all the workers will die; only a new, fertilized queen will bury into the leaf litter and emerge in the spring to start a new nest.  

If you want a nice little side gig, you can search out and sell these nests.  Dozens have sold on ebay this fall with prices ranging from a couple of dollars up to $300.  Just make sure there are no live animals inside!

This was a windy week in New Hampshire, but there were enough calm times to get out for a paddle.  

It was good to see lots of food sources around the lake for animals to feed on this winter.

Winterberry

Chokeberry

Both of these are important food sources because they last well into the winter months, especially for birds that are fruit-eaters like bluebirds and cedar waxwings.

I also found our young loon, apparently alone on the lake but doing well.  

Spangle is looking quite sharp now.

She may be here several more weeks.  

It's not uncommon to get a nice day or two late into November, but I now appreciate every paddle on the lake like it might be my last for the year.

Our local flock of turkeys continues to be active and visible - and looking quite healthy.

They may be awkward birds, they are pretty.

Turkey's are omnivores, eating just about anything they come across.  Though they are probably mostly eating seeds, we're happy to have them in the garden because they will consume ticks, grubs, and any other insects they find as they scratch around in the leaf litter.

Turkeys make us think of Thanksgiving, and yes, it's November.  But even in Novembernature gives us reasons every day to be grateful.