Bald-faced Hornet

Natural Habitat

Found across North America in woodlands, parks, and around homes; often builds nests in trees, shrubs, and on the eaves of buildings.

Diet & Feeding

Adults primarily feed on flower nectar and fruit juices; they hunt other insects like flies and caterpillars to feed to their larvae.

Behavior Patterns

They are social insects that build large, grey, paper-like nests. The queen starts the nest in spring, and the colony reaches its peak size in late summer. They are highly protective of their nests and will defend them vigorously if disturbed.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Highly aggressive when defending their nest; capable of delivering multiple painful stings that can cause allergic reactions. Benefits: They provide natural pest control by hunting large numbers of nuisance insects like flies.

Identified on: 4/12/2026