Finding wasp nests?

[Mr. 16 gauge]

would like to try using some wasp nest material for wadding. Seeing as it is now in the single digits here in MI, I could probably collect some without getting violently stung! Problem is, with all the available state land, finding a nest is most likely hit or miss (probably miss!)
Are there any specific areas in the woods where I should look where I would be likely to run across a nest?
Thanks in advance. ................................

 

[leadhoarder]

I seem to find them when I am on a lawnmower so you may want to take yours out for a ride.

 

[Flintlock]

Ask friends with barns and garages if they see any nests, take a gun, wife and kids and hit the woods. You might want to break them apart before bringing them into the house just in case they are not completely empty. The best way to find wasp nest is running through the woods in a breechclout like a savage, about the most excitement one can have legally.

 

[doubleset]

Well, there are a LOT of varieties of wasps (at least around here). Some favorite hangouts and nest locations: under decks, on the underside of stepladder steps (so when you pick up the ladder, they've got you!), almost anywhere in anything that looks like a barn, inside the fascia boards on your house if these aren't hermetically sealed, under/attached to various kinds of trailers.

That should get you started.

 

[Mousegunguy]

I collect mine from under the eves when I’m on the roof cleaning the chimney.
Always more than enough

 

[user 49399]

Down here in Tennessee we call them waspers. I prefer to use their nests when I can find them. What I use are the empty nests that have already hatched out. These are easily spotted. There are no live wasps tending the nest and no larvae in the holes. These nests are anywhere from 1 to 5 or 6 inches wide. These are not, I repeat, are not the same as the big basketball sized hornet nests. I would never try to use one of those.

 

[1950DAVE]

Here in N AL leave a car sitting for a couple of months in the summer and you will find them under the hood. Sometime with a big surprise.. Look around the eaves houses, rafters of barns and open sheds. Look for these without evidence of life forms.

 

[user 49399]

Here in N AL leave a car sitting for a couple of months in the summer and you will find them under the hood. Sometime with a big surprise.. Look around the eaves houses, rafters of barns and open sheds. Look for these without evidence of life forms.
View attachment 121508

That’s exactly what I was talking about. Makes good wadding for my Fusil de Chasse and my Kentucky rifle.

 

[user 48702]

Down here in Alabama, we're over blessed with them, both black and red wasp, as well as guinea wasp. They build under the eves of the house, barns, outbuildings (inside and out), and you'll find them hanging under limestone outcroppings, and I've collected a large gallon pickle jar almost full since fall. I've even had them building small ones in behind the mirrors of my Ford F250. Yellow jackets are ubiquitous, anywhere they can bore a hole in the ground they can be found, usually taking advantage of rotted root cavities under ground. Though their nest are generally large, stacked like the decks of a parking garage, they're worthless after I get through with them. I douse them with a dose of high octane just after dark.

We also have a lot of the black bald-faced hornets with the white striped butt, they build the large paper hive type nest in the hardwoods, although, I've seen them build on the side of a building under the eves. Some of the large nest can be almost as big as a five gallon bucket. The hornets leave their nest by the first freeze or two, all die off except the queen, which hibernates under bark or an old log, so the nest are safe after first few days freezing or below. One of these huge hornets nest is a gold mine to a muzzle loader who wishes to use nest for wadding because you can use the whole nest.
News Article/Super Nest in Alabama

 

[William Sublette]

What does a wasp nest do, that plain old newspaper wont?

 

[Colonial Boy]

What does a wasp nest do, that plain old newspaper wont?

Holds stinging beasties.

Around here there is a small black wasp that is known as the Paper Wasp because of the fine little nest that they build.
I’ve never used their nests as I’ve encountered them whilst clearing scrub and the pain from a sting is so intense that vision disappears in a red mist and the pain reaches an unbearable cresendo, fortunately it peaks and recedes in less than a second, leaving just a dull throb of no consequence.
A doctor told me that the pain is so high that if it lasted for much more than the fraction of a second that the result would probably be madness, I can believe him———it’s waxed lunch-wrap for me for wadding.\

 

[stikshooter]

would like to try using some wasp nest material for wadding. Seeing as it is now in the single digits here in MI, I could probably collect some without getting violently stung! Problem is, with all the available state land, finding a nest is most likely hit or miss (probably miss!)
Are there any specific areas in the woods where I should look where I would be likely to run across a nest?
Thanks in advance. ................................

Houses/barns can most likely (road hunt ) spot them under eves/overhangs on structure thou 2 of mine came from trees my neighbors call and tell me come and get them. ! Hint I get them now but I store them in sealed garbage bags and good I did as I stepped on one I brought inside (heat ) had them hatching and I did the2 step squashing them . A new cushion for shot larva must have oil cause the shot got there before the squirrel!!!Ed

 

[Flintlock]

What does a wasp nest do, that plain old newspaper wont?

Wasp nest won't hold a ember like paper does. I for one would rather not start the world on fire.

 

[necchi]

Tough to find in the woods, easier to find around urban dwellings under the roof eves and soffits.
Most home owners remove them when they find them on their homes, but apartment garages, county pavilions, big-box store buildings, storage sheds,, anything that doesn't have a lot of human traffic where the evil little creatures harm folks,, tend to be neglected and can be productive.
Bring a long stick to knock the nest off the eve.
Caution, when it's winter cold, it IS a good time to harvest,, but don't bring'm inside until ya break the caps off the cells and look. Those critters "hibernate" and WILL wake up and be really upset when warmed.

If/when your search comes up empty, get a hold of me. If you wanna pay for the USPS Priority box shipping fee,, I'll fill a medium size full for ya and send it off.
($16.10)
I had to try "nest" too. I found no gain, at least with my loading techniques.

p.s., LOL, "really upset" was inserted by the forum software,, I said "P-O'd",,

 

[david w]

I once worked for a power company. Look under electric meters! They LOVE electric meters!!!

 

[David Veale]

would like to try using some wasp nest material for wadding. Seeing as it is now in the single digits here in MI, I could probably collect some without getting violently stung! Problem is, with all the available state land, finding a nest is most likely hit or miss (probably miss!)
Are there any specific areas in the woods where I should look where I would be likely to run across a nest?
Thanks in advance. ................................

The white-faced hornets which produce the biggest and most easily found nests abandon them by about November, so there's no risk now for sure. The area around our barns (we keep cattle and horses) is usually loaded, as the hornets like to prey on the flies that hatch in the manure. Further out in the woods it's more hit and miss, but I can't really say I've seen any patterns. I've seen a few hanging in trees that are on the edge of a pond, so that might be worth looking for especially now that the ponds will be frozen.

 

[toot]

Here in N AL leave a car sitting for a couple of months in the summer and you will find them under the hood. Sometime with a big surprise.. Look around the eaves houses, rafters of barns and open sheds. Look for these without evidence of life forms.
View attachment 121508

I shoot the PAUPA, also. I don't just use the paper part of the nest! the unborn babies act as lubrication !!

 

[toot]

I have found the BLACK & WHITE"S, WHITE FACED HORNET'S nests in fields where there are HUCKLEBERY BUSHES. or BLUE BERRY BUSHES. about NOVEMBER they have left. and for ground dwelling YELLOW JACKET'S, you can see the remains were that the nests have been dug up by SKUNKS & FOXED & RACCONE. they all love the little bit of honey that they produce foe there babies, and eat the PAUPA! so use all of the nest's that you come by! PS, it is a fact that it will not set the forest / grass on fire.

 

[thompson50]

I find most of mine in white pines but that's up here in Maine.

 

[oldwood]

Road hunt them as going about daily travel. Ask farmers for some. They are usually in the know, about where they might have some. Don't wait to try for them when the weather warms ,hornet nest scan be reoccupied by other regular wasps.