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Photo#324660
Wasp nest?

Wasp nest?
Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, USA
June 30, 2009
Size: about size of ping-pong
On 30 June 2009, I turned over an old rotten landscaping timber. On what had been the bottom side, I saw a spherical ball a little larger than a ping-pong ball. A slight touch broke it. Inside, I saw what looked like an old Yellowjacket nest, but I have never seen one of these build a ball around their nest. What could have done this?

Moved

Vespula or Dolichovespula
Not sure whether it is possible to determine the genus here.

Moved
Moved from Vespula.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Yellowjacket nest
Embryonic "queen nest," probably built by one of the subterranean species in the genus Vespula. All Vespinae construct a paper envelope over the paper comb like this. The envelope has several layers in more mature nests.

 
Thanks, Eric.
Thanks, Eric.

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