Reproduction
The Queen first starts her own nest in the spring, and lays
eggs to become workers that are all female. Near the end of
summer the Queen will lay more eggs that form into adult male
and female hornets. They will then mate and these new females
will overwinter, keeping warm by burrowing into trees or logs
(Moran.2012).
They will then start their own nest in the spring,
becoming the Queen of a new colony. All of the remaining hornets
from the previous Fall die off. An egg is laid in each cell of
the new nest and is fed nectar and/or chewed up insects by the Queen in the
Spring. When the larvae grow big enough they pupate and emerge
as adult hornets (Moran.2012).