this paper wasp nest hung over my driveway all summer.  i cut it down yesterday after i learned that wasps will never reuse a previous nest.

the thousands of workers that built this nest were visible in a loose, shifting cloud around the nest all summer.  meanwhile the queen was building up her fat reserves to overwinter, and she is most likely sitting still in a tree crevice nearby.  she will start looking for a spot to build a new home in april or may.

saint paul, minnesota