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Photo#141908
Bald-faced Hornet - Dolichovespula maculata - female

Bald-faced Hornet - Dolichovespula maculata - Female
Spingfield, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA
August 21, 2007
Size: At least 1'"
I was very happy to get a picture. It took a couple of days because it just kept flying around and not landing on anything. It finally landed on the garlic chive flowers which were full of many other wasps, bees, and even ambush bugs. I have made the Bald-faced Hornet ID but don't know if it's male or not. I looked all through the guide but I'm still unsure. At first I thought Queen because of size but now I'm thinking male. Please help. Thank you. I would like to add this to the guide as you have no pictures of the hornet from Michigan, just a nest.

Sorry, not a male or queen...
This is a female(worker) bald faced hornet. If it was male, it would have much longer antennea, and a longer abdomen.
Beautiful photo.

 
Thanks for the Info
I knew I was confused. Wow, how big is the Queen?

 
it depends....
on how much meat they get fed as a larva. The more the larva gets fed, the bigger the adult will be. Yes, generally queens are larger than workers, but towards the end of the season, workers are often as big as queens.

 
Thanks again
That was quick:)

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