What two materials are combined with saliva to create the paper-like substance used by yellowjackets to build their nests?
Answer
Wood fibers
The characteristic paper nests of yellowjackets are not constructed from organic matter in the traditional sense, but rather from processed wood material. Worker yellowjackets scrape or chew wood fibers from sources like fences, untreated lumber, or dead trees. They then mix these chewed fibers thoroughly with their saliva. This mixture is subsequently regurgitated and spread out layer by layer to form the protective, multi-celled structure of the colony. This process is essential for creating the durable, enclosed paper envelope that protects the developing brood and the queen from weather and predators.
Related Questions
What is the approximate foraging radius where 90% of yellowjacket activity occurs around the nest site?What two materials are combined with saliva to create the paper-like substance used by yellowjackets to build their nests?Which specific structural cavity does the nonnative German Yellowjacket (*Vespula germanica*) commonly favor for nesting instead of building underground?Which yellowjacket life stage is the only one guaranteed to survive the winter by hibernating to initiate the next year's colony?Between which hours of the day is the optimal time window for observing yellowjackets actively engaging in foraging flights?What characteristic physical features do yellowjackets lack that differentiate them from honey bees?What specific food requirement do yellowjackets meet using protein sources like meat or fish when baiting for tracking purposes?In the milder Southern US climate, what designation is given to the small percentage of Southern Yellowjacket nests that survive the entire winter season?What common underground nesting site, often associated with burrowing mammals, is the preferred location for the Eastern Yellowjacket (*Vespula maculifrons*)?When marking a suspected underground yellowjacket nest entrance, where must a flag or rock be placed relative to the actual hole?