open sheds, and on bushes, shrubs, and trees. The adults of all 
members of the family feed commonly on nectar, ripe fruits, sap, 
ee honeydew. The larvae feed on other insects provided by the 
adults. 
The giant hornet, Vespa crabro germana (Christ), an intro- 
duced species, has been recorded from Quebec and Massachusetts 
to South Carolina. According to reports, hollow trees, hollow 
posts, sheds, barns, porches, and even attics are preferred as nest- 
ing sites. These nests occasionally become very large, reaching a 
length of 3 feet and a diameter of 20 inches. There are many 
reports of damage to trees and shrubs by the adults (643). They 
may girdle small twigs, and they gnaw holes in the bark of larger 
branches, possibly in search of nest-building materials and pos- 
sibly in search of sap. Injuries have been reported to lilac, birch, 
ash, and horsechestnut. The adult possesses a long sting and a 
large poison sac. It is probably capable of inflicting painful stings, 
but does not appear to be as likely to attack when disturbed as is 
the bald-faced hornet. 
The bald-faced hornet, Vespula maculata (Linn.), a well known 
member of the family, is widely distributed in the United States 
and Canada. Adults are 12 to 19 mm. long and largely black, with 
white or yellow markings on the face and thorax, and with the 
posterior third of the abdomen white. It commonly attaches its 
nests to the limbs of trees or bushes, also occasionally to the walls 
and windows of houses. These nests may reach a diameter of 15 
inches and contain up to five thousand hornets each. Bald-faced 
COURTESY CONN. AGR. EXPT. STA. 
FIGURE 203.—Nest of the yellow jacket, Vespula arenaria arenaria. 
494 
