[NatureNS] re yellow-jacket nest disappearance

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References: <000b01cd794d$f54ba330$dfe2e990$@ns.sympatico.ca>
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:37:40 -0300
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Decades ago, I read a feature article on social wasps (yellow-jackets =20=

and hornets) in Natural History magazine.  I'm not sure how what I =20
read fits with Dave's observations, but here goes nothing.  The =20
article mentioned that the various species of jellow-jackets (and the =20=

related hornets?, like our common bald-faced hornet, which is a black-=20=

and-white yellow-jacket) can be very aggressive to colonies of =20
related species.  And, as in many kinds of ants, one species can =20
attack and take over a colony of a close relative.  Since Dave's =20
black wasps may have been bald-faced hornets, maybe some sort of war =20
between two species of social wasps was involved in this mystery?

I can't comment on the possibility of recycling the paper of a nest =20
to make a new nest.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: John Kearney <john.kearney@ns.sympatico.ca>
> Date: August 13, 2012 9:19:59 AM ADT
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Missing wasp nest.
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>
> I=92ve had raccoons tear into the fake wasp nests that I put on my =20
> deck to keep the wasps from building nests close to people.
>
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-=20
> owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Paul MacDonald
> Sent: August 13, 2012 09:05
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Missing wasp nest.
>
> Hi Dave
> I too have noted a few faintly concentric grey shreds marking where
> a wasps nest has been. I often wondered if they disassembled the nest
> and move somewhere else. I would think making the paper for the
> nest would be quite energy demanding and recycling the paper
> would be quite efficient.
> Have a sting free summer
> Paul
>
>
> From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
> To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
> Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2012 10:22:33 PM
> Subject: [NatureNS] Missing wasp nest.
>
> Dear All,                        Aug 12, 2012
>   Would any animal, other than humans, carry a wasp nest away ?
>
>   While loading wood on July 22, I got stung by yellow-jackets 3-4 =20
> times before locating the nest [~8" diameter attached to debris on =20
> the ground , 5' from the woodpile & 3' from the truck] by which =20
> time there was a fairly large swarm over the nest so I retreated.
>
>   When I hauled the remainder of this tier on July 26, taking care =20
> not to drop wood or otherwise disturb them, they were still active =20
> (Yellow-jackets coming & going) but I noticed some large black =20
> wasps flying to but not entering the nest and this seemed strange =20
> unless the nest was being abandoned and stragglers were being =20
> picked off (did not see this).
>
>   I was by there today (Aug 12) and stopped to show this nest to =20
> someone but found only a few faintly concentric grey shreds marking =20=

> where it had been attached to the litter. I could see no other =20
> fragments of a destroyed nest nearby and I would expect many =20
> fragments if a non-human animal were involved.
>
>   In late May or Early June I noticed a rich coating of honey dew =20
> on nearby groundcover, probably from aphids on Spruce, and tending =20
> these Spruce may have led to founding the nest. But with the dry =20
> conditions, honey dew is long gone.
>
>     Balancing the various unknowns, it seems most likely that they =20
> just died out from want, or moved to greener pastures, and some =20
> person, finding the nest to be inactive, decided to take it home as =20=

> an ornament.
>
>   When local conditions become adverse, can wasps have a =20
> sufficiently large range potential to diffuse to areas of better =20
> conditions ?
>
> Yours truly, Dave Webaster, Kentville
>
>


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
 Decades ago, I read a feature article on social wasps (yellow-jackets =
and hornets) in Natural History magazine. &nbsp;I'm not sure how what I =
read fits with Dave's observations, but here goes nothing. &nbsp;The =
article mentioned that the various species of jellow-jackets (and the =
related hornets?, like our common bald-faced hornet, which is a =
black-and-white yellow-jacket) can be very aggressive to colonies of =
related species. &nbsp;And, as in many kinds of ants, one species can =
attack and take over a colony of a close relative. &nbsp;Since Dave's =
black wasps may have been bald-faced hornets, maybe some sort of war =
between two species of social wasps was involved in this =
mystery?<div><br></div><div>I can't comment on the possibility of =
recycling the paper of a nest to make a new =
nest.<br><div><br></div><div>Cheers from Jim in =
Wolfville.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">John Kearney &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:john.kearney@ns.sympatico.ca">john.kearney@ns.sympatico.ca<=
/a>&gt;</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">August 13, 2012 9:19:59 AM =
ADT</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>RE: [NatureNS] Missing wasp =
nest.</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> <span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: =
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: =
normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: =
none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div =
class=3D"WordSection1" style=3D"page: WordSection1; "><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; =
margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', =
serif; "><span style=3D"font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, =
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">I=92ve had raccoons tear into the =
fake wasp nests that I put on my deck to keep the wasps from building =
nests close to people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; =
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span =
style=3D"font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: =
rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></div><div><div =
style=3D"border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; =
border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; =
border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); =
border-top-width: 1pt; padding-top: 3pt; padding-right: 0cm; =
padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; =
margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: =
12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><b><span lang=3D"EN-US" =
style=3D"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; =
">From:</span></b><span lang=3D"EN-US" style=3D"font-size: 10pt; =
font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; "><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.c=
a</a> [<a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">mailto:naturens-owner@chebuc=
to.ns.ca</a>]<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><b>On =
Behalf Of<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b>Paul =
MacDonald<br><b>Sent:</b><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>August 13, 2012 =
09:05<br><b>To:</b><span class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a><br><b>=
Subject:</b><span class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>Re: =
[NatureNS] Missing wasp nest.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; =
margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', =
serif; "><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></div><div><div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; =
margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: =
12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; =
background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; =
background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style=3D"color:=
 black; ">Hi Dave<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; =
margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', =
serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; ">I too have noted a&nbsp;few =
faintly concentric grey shreds marking =
where<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; =
margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: =
12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; =
background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; =
background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style=3D"color:=
 black; ">a wasps nest has been. I often wondered if they disassembled =
the nest<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; =
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; =
background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; ">and move somewhere else. I would =
think making the paper for the<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; =
margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', =
serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; ">nest would be quite energy =
demanding and recycling the paper<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; =
margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', =
serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; ">would be quite =
efficient.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; =
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; =
background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; ">Have a sting free =
summer<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; =
margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: =
12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; =
background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; =
background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style=3D"color:=
 black; ">Paul<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><div style=3D"margin-top:=
 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; =
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; =
background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; =
"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></div></div><div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; =
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; =
background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; "><span style=3D"color: black; =
"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></div></div><div><div><div><div =
class=3D"MsoNormal" align=3D"center" style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; =
margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: =
12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center; =
background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial =
initial; "><span style=3D"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, =
sans-serif; color: black; "><hr size=3D"1" width=3D"100%" =
align=3D"center"></span></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; =
margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-size: =
12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; =
background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; =
background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><b><span =
style=3D"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; =
">From:</span></b><span style=3D"font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, =
sans-serif; color: black; "><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>David &amp; Alison Webster =
&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com" style=3D"color: blue; =
text-decoration: underline; =
">dwebster@glinx.com</a>&gt;<br><b>To:</b><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><a =
href=3D"mailto:NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca" style=3D"color: blue; =
text-decoration: underline; ">NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca</a><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br><b>Sent:</b><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>Sunday, August 12, 2012 =
10:22:33 PM<br><b>Subject:</b><span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>[NatureNS] Missing wasp =
nest.</span><span style=3D"color: black; =
"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><p class=3D"MsoNormal" =
style=3D"margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 12pt; =
margin-left: 0cm; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', =
serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; =
background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: =
white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial =
initial; "><span style=3D"color: black; "><br>Dear All,&nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; =
Aug 12, 2012<br>&nbsp; Would any animal, other than humans, carry a wasp =
nest away ?<br><br>&nbsp; While loading wood on July 22, I got stung by =
yellow-jackets 3-4 times before locating the nest [~8" diameter attached =
to debris on the ground , 5' from the woodpile &amp; 3' from the truck] =
by which time there was a fairly large swarm over the nest so I =
retreated.<br><br>&nbsp; When I hauled the remainder of this tier on =
July 26, taking care not to drop wood or otherwise disturb them, they =
were still active (Yellow-jackets coming &amp; going) but I noticed some =
large black wasps flying to but not entering the nest and this seemed =
strange unless the nest was being abandoned and stragglers were being =
picked off (did not see this).<br><br>&nbsp; I was by there today (Aug =
12) and stopped to show this nest to someone but found only a few =
faintly concentric grey shreds marking where it had been attached to the =
litter. I could see no other fragments of a destroyed nest nearby and I =
would expect many fragments if a non-human animal were =
involved.<br><br>&nbsp; In late May or Early June I noticed a rich =
coating of honey dew on nearby groundcover, probably from aphids on =
Spruce, and tending these Spruce may have led to founding the nest. But =
with the dry conditions, honey dew is long gone.<br><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; =
Balancing the various unknowns, it seems most likely that they just died =
out from want, or moved to greener pastures, and some person, finding =
the nest to be inactive, decided to take it home as an =
ornament.<br><br>&nbsp; When local conditions become adverse, can wasps =
have a sufficiently large range potential to diffuse to areas of better =
conditions ?<br><br>Yours truly, Dave Webaster, Kentville<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p=
></div></div></div></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></div></body>=
</html>=

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