While a family relative of the yellowjacket, the bald faced hornet is much larger though they otherwise can look similar. They will build paper nest at least three feet off the ground, but normally much higher, in places such as trees, overhangs, and gaps in houses. They will be most active in the summer as they thrive in the warm weather, and most of them die off in the winter, with the exception on the inseminated members of their nest.
Bald faced hornets are extremely aggressive, and will attack any perceived threats, even at a far distance from their nests. Their smooth stingers provide them with the opportunity to sting their targets repeatedly, unlike some other stinging insects like the honeybee whose stingers fall off after the first sting. Bald faced hornet stings can hurt up to 24 hours and may swell, and with each nest being able to contain up to 400 of the pests, it is very important to get rid of them as they can become a very dangerous problem.
