full size This Bald-faced Hornet has survived the winter with her fertilized eggs.

She will lay the eggs to start a colony of mostly female workers, who will construct a papery nest.

The colony feeds on nectar, tree sap and other sugar-rich liquids, and capture small arthropods to feed the larvae.

As the next winter approaches, reproductive drones and females mate; the whole colony dies excepted the newly mated queens, who will seek shelter to survive the winter.