Bald-faced Hornet
Dolichovespula maculata
Ivory-Marked Sentinel
Black body, white face — unmistakable in the summer light.
The soft green background lets the wasp stand forward, its face lit with perfect symmetry and intent. • Size: 6720x4480
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 10000 • Aperture f/7.1 • Shutter 1/3200 s
Description
Despite its name, the bald-faced hornet is actually a type of yellowjacket wasp. It is known for its black body and ivory-white face and markings. Unlike most yellowjackets, the bald-faced hornet has distinctive white facial markings
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Color | These wasps have a glossy black exoskeleton with ivory-white markings on the face, the first antennal segment, thorax, and tail end. |
| Wings | They have two pairs of transparent wings with a slight smoky tint, enabling agile flight and hovering capability during foraging. |
| Tail | The “tail” ends in a sharp stinger capable of repeated use. |
| Legs | The legs are slender and black, adapted for grasping and manipulating prey. |
| Size | Workers measure around 12–15 mm in length, while queens can reach up to 20 mm. |
Cultural Note
“Nearly every old-time mountain cabin had an empty hornets’ nest hung up in the loft, and people even tied them up in newly built homes that were not yet occupied. The nest was supposed to bring good luck to everyone in the household, especially regarding childbirth and other reproductive matters.”
— Vance Randolph (as cited by the Missouri Department of Conservation)
Bald-faced Hornet on milkweed buds
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 16000 • Aperture f/7.1 • Shutter 1/3200 s
These social wasps are highly protective of their nests and can sting repeatedly when threatened. and builds large, enclosed paper nests high above ground — often in trees or under eaves. Though a recent nest found was mere 6 inches to 18 inches above the ground.
Diet
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 16000 • Aperture f/8.0 • Shutter 1/1250 s
Adult bald-faced hornets primarily feed on other insects making them beneficial predators, and also consume nectar and tree sap. They also feed on nectar from flowers, which provides them with energy for daily activity. They feed spend much of the day hunting insects and spiders, which they chew into a pulp to feed their growing larvae back in the nest. This diet makes them important both as pollinators and as natural pest controllers in their environment.
Images
Behavior
Bald-faced hornets are highly social and live in large colonies that can contain hundreds of workers by late summer. They are defensive of their nests and will attack perceived threats aggressively. Workers hunt other insects to feed larvae, while adults often drink nectar and fruit juices.
Audubon Group
- Group Bees, Wasps, and Kin
- Plates 483
- Page 837
References
- National Audubon Society: Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (1980)
- Missouri Department of Conservation: Bald-faced Hornet
Personal field notes (2025)
Photographed near Lakeville, Minnesota.