Book 11, Question 108
Why Do Wasps Make Paper Nests?
Wasps make paper nests because paper is light, strong, and made from things they find! They make the paper themselves. Wasps were making paper long before people were.
More fun facts
- Wasps make paper by scraping wood fibers with their jaws and chewing them with water.
- The result is a kind of papier mache for building nests.
- Bees build with wax they make in their bodies instead.
- A queen wasp starts a small nest in late spring after hibernating.
- She raises the first workers alone, and then they take over building.
Sources: BBC, National Geographic, Science News Explores
Questions kids ask
Are wasp nests really paper?
Yes. Wasps make a paper like material from chewed wood fibers.