I'll bet they'd be fun guests at an Autumnal Equinox party...

irradiated import

-->> what does that mean????

research it.. but my guess would be to do it in the coldest part of winter ...

they are just using the tree as structure... they are not dependent on the specific tree ...

ken

Once temperatures drop to 45f or below, the hornets will be immobile.

Many times I've seen the nests get picked to shreds by birds foraging for winter food.

Here's one I collected and have in my basement 'man cave' for the past several years.

eta: better picture.

Can you tell if it's giant Asian hornets or just your average bald-faced hornets? There were some nasty giant European hornets buzzing around my butterfly bushes hunting for prey, and they would start harassing me if I stood too close to the bush. They will sting people away from their nest, unlike other bees/wasps/hornets.

Intimidating!

Yeah Toronado38, yours looks a lot more ominous than mine does.

I think I can see a BFH looking out the entry hole on your picture. Much more scary than yellow hornets imo.

I think mine came from the yellow hornets. Not that I'm nonchalant about those either, though they can only sting once from what I understand. BFH can sting repeatedly and have a higher dose of venom than most other hornets. Don't ask me how I know. ;-)

I have not identified which hornets they are. They other day digging about 15 meters away I disturbed some and got stung 3 times. It was nothing special. I did not get a great look at them but will try for a pic.

Tiktok suggestion https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT86u73u7/

Ken, check this out:

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/metasequoia-glyptostroboides-gold-rush

Everything Metasequoia has an interesting story, "The following is from the Amerian Conifer Society. "This cultivar originated in 1974 in Japan as a seedling selected from a batch of X-ray irradiated seed by the New Oji Paper Company. The original tree was planted in 1977 at the Kameyama breeding station, Institute for Forest Tree Improvement, New Oji Paper Co., Ltd, Mie, Japan. "

There is a Godzilla joke in there somewhere.

The hornet nest has been there since spring, if it hasn't been a bother so far, it is unlikely to become a bother now, IMHO. Google says the nest is only used for the season.

I left mine during the Fall, which was on an ash tree 12-15' high, outside the front door, until it got cold outside. Then cut it down with a pole saw clipper. It was loaded with dead hornet that I just shook out onto the ground. Fertile Queens winter elsewhere and start a new nest in the spring.

I get a lot of comments from visitors who notice it for the first time. :-)

https://www.easiest method of collecting hornets nest.

Those nests all look otherworldly and creepy to me. Like something out of an alien film.

Dean, they are beautiful up close.

Agree, a wonder of nature.