Did you know they make their nests from spider webs??
Tag: nest
A snowy owl’s nest made out of dead lemmings.
Hummingbird nest. I wouldn’t have found it but I scared the mom off the nest while pruning the blackberries.
Wasps creating colored nests when given construction paper by amateur zoologist
Mattia Menchetti.
Menchetti gradually introduced a variety of coloured paper to this European wasp colony
at let them create this vibrant nests.
Today the Department of Phenomenal Papercraft delves into the world of entomological
artwork. Paper wasps gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems and
mix them with their saliva to create a gray or brown papery material
which they use to construct their water-resistant nests. When Italian biological science student Mattia Menchetti provided a captive colony of European paper wasps with colored paper, the insects created awesomely colorful nests.
“He started by feeding his captive wasps yellow paper,
and then gradually began introducing more shades. The insects soon
created a technicolor home for their larvae. In addition to making for
some unusual eye candy, the nest is sturdy as well. A protein in the
saliva of European paper wasps is so effective in making their nests
waterproof that it’s been used by scientists for a biodegradable drone.”
Visit Mattia Menchetti’s website to check out more of his research projects. (by mental_floss)
Hummingbird nest on a peach.
Spitbug nest
The froghoppers, or the superfamily Cercopoide, are best known for the nymph stage, which produces a cover of frothed-up plant sap resembling spit; the nymphs are therefore commonly known as spittlebugs and their froth as cuckoo spit, frog spit or snake spit.
The froth serves a number of purposes. It hides the nymph from the view of predators and parasites, it insulates against heat and cold, thus providing thermal control and also moisture control. Without the froth the insect would quickly dry up.
Bee Hotels for Solitary Bees
You may be wondering what bees need a hotel for, when they make their own hives. The truth is that many species of bees are solitary – the do not live in hives but instead construct their own nest. The main reason for this is because in these species every female is fertile and this would not make for comfortable communal living in a hive.
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