Baldfaced Hornet
Dolichovespula maculata
Identification
- 5/8 - 3/4+ inch long
- black with yellowish-white face; no hairs
Nesting Habits
- social
- colony dies off every fall; fertilized queens overwinter
- nest on building eaves, etc., or in plants/trees: aerial
- queens start new every spring; colonies grow throughout the summer months
Diet
- insects
- nectar
Significance
- nests pose a serious health risk to humans
IPM Recommendations
- Monitor for nests from early summer - fall.
- Purchase and use a bee veil, suit and gloves.
- Minimize nesting habitat around property.
- Install tight-fitting screens in windows.
- Nest removal: wear protective bee veil, suit and gloves; at night using a ladder or bee pole, apply an aerosol wasp insecticide into the nest entrance hole, bag and remove the nest and place the bagged nest in a dumpster away from children and people.