This is actually pretty deep within the bush. If you didn't look closely you never would even see it there.
I took as good of pictures as I could with knees shaking! Seeing that gigantic nest which is about the size of a basketball made me feel more than a little weak in the knees.
My husband was cutting back a particular spot of blackberry when he noticed something fly by him. He cut some more and then noticed about 4 more insects fly out from the bramble. That was when he cautiously put the loppers down and peered into the bush. I can only imagine his surprise when he spotted that nest. He came and got me and I was in disbelief as I have never seen anything like that before. I felt like I was looking at an alien life form that had crash landed in our blackberry bush.
After coming inside and getting the pictures onto the computer I began to search the internet to see if I could figure out just what this nest is from. After a little bit of searching I discovered that this nest is from a Bald-faced Hornet or Dolichovespula maculata. They are not true hornets but actually paper wasps just like the wasps I posted about the other day.
I read that the wasps are of course protective of their nests and if provoked will attack the facial area on humans. Yikes. My husband is lucky considering how close he was getting with those loppers.
One site I was looking at gave instructions on how to collect the nest for displaying once it is empty as the nests are used only once. We might consider doing this as it is pretty amazing to look at. I am sure my boys will get a kick out of looking at it if we do decide to collect it come fall. From what I read you want to wait until after you have experienced a hard frost to ensure the nest is empty.
Here is a very short video clip I took of the nest. It was all I could stand to get before my nerves got the best of me.
I found the following links to be helpful if anyone is interested in learning more about these wasps.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
The other day I was on my neighbor’s deck and pointed out her huge wasps nest right next to her bathroom window. She hadn’t even noticed that it was there. Maybe it is old?
The worst nest we had one year was a yellow jacket’s next under the compost pile. Not the pile in the back woods, but the pile actually in the veggie garden. We abandoned the compost pile for that year and I was oh so careful when having to go close and pick things. No one was stung and we were very grateful about that. Yellow jackets scare me. They can be mean.
Yours look like bald faced hornets, which are peaceful creatures – well as long as you don’t touch their nest. I think they eat flies, so fabulous to have around.
Hi Daphne, I can’t imagine finding a nest under the compost pile! What a surprise that must have been! I have never seen bald-faced hornets before and I must say they are rather intimidating to look at as they are pretty big and sturdy looking. We are now avoiding that area of the backyard for awhile! -Cynthia
I am like sitting here, mouth wide open saying OH my gosh! Lucky there were no attacks. I have never seen anything like that.
I agree with you completely Laurie! I was in disbelief when I saw that nest as I have never seen anything like it before either. It is crazy to think that just the other day I was out picking blackberries right by it and never even noticed it was there! It makes me shudder to think about how close I was to it! -Cynthia
Yeeikes! You are a brave soul. Stay as far away as you can from those suckers, they can be very aggressive, especially in late summer. My mom uncovered a nest by accident once, while pruning (just like your husband did), and they swarmed on her and stung her quite a bit. She still gets pretty freaked out when she sees one.
Hi Karen, when my husband came and got me I stood there looking at it and I swear it was putting off a foreboding vibe. I just felt the need to get away from it. Like I mentioned in an above comment, I have never seen this wasps before and they are rather big. I would hate to be stung by one considering their size. -Cynthia
I’ve never seen anything like that before, that is one huge nest. Your husband is very lucky that he didn’t get stung. I bet your boys will get a real kick out of having something like that to display in their room(s) once it’s abandoned that is.
Hi PGL, yeah I think my husband is pretty lucky too considering he nearly hacked down branches right next to it! Our boys were amazed by it as well. Thankfully my 9 year old seems very frightened by it for now. We were worried he was going to think the nest was cool and try and show his friends! He is the more daring one of the two boys. It is going to take a lot out of me to try and get the nest come late fall when it should be empty. I think I will leave that one for my husband!
-Cynthia
When I was a kid my dad hacked into one of these also while cutting back the blackberries in our yard. My sister was playing nearby and they both got stung, but not terribly as they ran away as fast as they could. I remember that my dad got stung on his wrist and my sister got stung right on the tip of her nose. I’ve only been stung once, and I don’t even remember it, but that time when they hacked into that nest has stayed with me. It was very frightening. I’m glad your husband saw it in time
Hi Lacey, so maybe it is not so uncommon then to find these in blackberry bushes in Oregon considering it happened to your dad as well. I’m glad your family was okay. When I read these wasps attack the facial area on humans I felt almost sick inside thinking about what could have happened to my husband. Thankfully he did see something flying out of the bush and thought to investigate before going back to clearing more blackberry out. -Cynthia
Woo-hoo that’s some huge nest!
Hi Eric, thanks for visiting my blog today.
It is one huge nest isn’t it! It makes me shudder to think about it! -Cynthia
Oh gosh, that is one amazing nest! I used to be over the top terrified of wasps when I was a little girl. I am so thankful I outgrew that! I am ok with them now! I think you should try to obtain the nest once it is abandoned. I am sure your children’s science teachers would love that!
Hi Jenn! I’m happy to see you are visiting my blog.
I love the new dress you just recently posted on yours……
I think I will get my husband to collect the nest once we feel it is safe. We homeschool our 9 year old (our 14 year old starts high school in one week- YIKES!) and I think it would make one awesome science lesson! -Cynthia
Ya’ll are lucky to be alive;) My word—you sounded so calm and happy to have it there. I know the benefits, but you hope it’s in someone elses yard. The shots are great and I can see them clearly on my screen. Clear enough that I can imagine the painful sting. Hope you all stay safe the rest of the summer.
Ahh Anna, you do know how to make me laugh! That comment is great.
I guess we are lucky to be alive considering the size of that evil looking thing! Trust me that part of the yard is off limits to everyone for the remainder of the summer. -Cynthia
Oh, my! I’m highly allergic to wasps – glad it was you finding the nest and not me! It is a cool photo, though!
It is something else to see! I’m just happy we found it peacefully! -Cynthia
Oh boy! I don’t think I would have been brave enough to go take those pictures given my recent run in. I still haven’t found the time to try to look it up on the internet yet. At least my sting was on my fat thigh. I wonder if I had walked to close to it’s nest or something? I’m still not sure why I got stung by that nasty little beast!
Hi Cinj- I don’t think I would blame you for staying away from that nest considering your recent run in! Perhaps there is a nest in your blackberries like there is in mine? That might explain some of it. I wonder what it was that got you. Did you get a good look at it to possibly id it? The wasps we found are huge and I wouldn’t want to be stung by one of them! -Cynthia