Bald-faced hornet (aerial yellowjacket)

Forested areas, gardens, and urban settings; adults may enter buildings accidentally, especially near windows. Nests are usually enclosed paper structures in trees, shrubs, or on buildings.

Adults eat nectar, fruit juices, and other sugary liquids. They capture insects and chew them into prey pulp for larvae.

Highly social and active during daylight, with annual colonies founded by a queen in spring. They defend nests aggressively when disturbed and die off in late autumn except for new queens.

Can deliver painful stings and may sting repeatedly near the nest; people allergic to venom face greater risk. They benefit ecosystems by pollinating plants and suppressing caterpillars and other insects.