question for the brain trust; What insect made this nest?

As you can see the nest is hanging from the insulation foam in a crawlspace under a portion of my home. It is dome shaped and a light tan/cream color with darker striations through out the surface. I didn't inspect it for an entrance hole but for the most part the exterior seems solid with no openings except there may be one or more openings directly at the bottom.

I just discovered this nest today. I was doing some work in this crawl space late last fall and did not notice the nest at that time. I can't imagine not seeing the nest at that time, had it been there, so I think this was built sometime between last fall and now. My guess is just before freeze up.

I would kind of like to know just what I am dealing with before I make attempts to remove it, and seal up a couple small cracks in the block foundation to prevent a second occurrence.

Anyone recognize this nest? Would better pictures help? I actually noticed this as a last minute look around for stray tools I had been using. The access to this space is crawling thru a window opening in the basement wall. I was already back out and didn't feel like wiggling my way back in just to take a closer photo.

Ya, ya, ya, enough about that. Lets get back to focusing on nest identification.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Looks like a paper wasp nest.

Rick

Dave

I'm going with yellowjackets. Whatever built it, hornets or yellowjackets, I'd call an exterminator. Yikes!

Eric

Certainly appears to be a wasp or hornet nest. I've seen yellow jacket nests under decks that looked like that, they tend to be fairly symmetrical when they're protected from the weather like yours is. There are several species of YJ around the country, of which at least two are in my area. They build distinctly different nests, and one variety is way more aggressive than the other(s). It shouldn't be occupied right now, it took quite a few little nasties to build it so you would see them on it. I bet it was there when you were in the crawl space last fall, you got lucky. Buy lotto tickets.

I?m also going with wasp/hornet nest. That swirling pattern in the paper is pretty characteristic. The color is like a reflection of the material they chewed up to make it. Be careful especially if you are allergic to them. I recently have developed an allergy to their sting and now carry a epipen. Call in a pro.

Nest is dead, they don't continue for multiple years, it was there all last summer. Fill the exterior entrance and do whatever you want with what is there, it will not be reused.

Thanks everyone.

Pretty much confirms my suspicions. Still hopeful the nest may be empty and can be removed without incident. I will proceed with caution and may call in a pro to have a look at it.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Forgot to mention. If you don't intend to engage the bug guy, buy a can or two of flea bomb. Get it with a pyrethrin, there's several varieties. Last one I used was Raid Flea Killer Plus. It works amazingly well in confined areas even though it isn't recommended for bees/wasps/hornets. Touch it off in the crawl space, if the queen overwintered there you'll get her to avoid a new nest.

Interesting you say that Tod. I have not seen a nest reused either, but a few locations have been. One in a rock outcrop in our yard, another under our deck in Maine. Also a couple of trees, hornet nests not on the same branch but in the same tree. I hate those bastards. I can sleep with a snake, but run like a child from the damn hornets and wasps. Honeybees and bumblers are good guys.

That is just how it is. New queens leave in the fall and found new colonies the next spring.

It certainly appears inactive at this point in time. I'll check it periodically and base my actions on my observations.
I'm inclined to remove intact and find a place to display. Should make a dandy door ornament at Halloween.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

It rained this morning which is why I was working inside. The rain quit 2 hours ago, I'm sitting in my blind with 3 hen feeding couple hundred yards away.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Good to hear you are getting out. Last I'd heard was that you don't turkey hunt any more, some about being too old to turkey hunt, I think. Glad that the guy that told me that was wrong, but I've never trusted him.

T

Probably for good reason.
Apparently the Turkey doing all the gobbling in the timber behind my blind, doesn't trust me either. He gobbled at me for 45 minutes but refused to come out to the decoys and show his face.
Supposed to rain again tonight and all day Saturday.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

mud dauber wasp
george@runamuckdecoys.com

Tod is correct. Nest is from last year. You can tear it out if you want. Seal the hole.

Be cautious about sealing up active nests you might find later in the year. They will look for a new exit or explore their surroundings and show up places you don't want.

Tom

Thanks everyone for your responses.

In doing more research I believe that yes, the nest was built by Yellowjackets. It is inactive and only the queen survives the winter.

I will need to take some defensive measures to ensure there is not a repeat performance. The crawlspace is open to the main basement living quarters, thru an open casement window frame in which plumbing runs are passing thru. As a side note, I vaguely remember sweeping up a single Yellowjacket body, from the concrete floor over the winter.

I'll climb in there with a can of spray foam and hit any suspect cracks and openings.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging