Paper wasps, better known as ‘Baldfaced Hornets’ are actually a species of yellow-jacket. They are easily distinguished from other yellow jackets by their black and white, heavy body about 3/4” long. The paper nest begins in the spring by a single queen after she has over-wintered underground, in a hollow tree or other protected area. Having been fertilized the previous year, she lays eggs and tends to the first batch of larvae, which develop into workers or drones. The workers continue to build the nest from chewed up wood. The football shaped nest sometimes includes colorful cardboard or even paper harvested by workers from different sources. The colony and nest expands and by summer’s end may consist of several hundred wasps. In late fall or early winter the colony shuts down, and fertilized queens leave the nest to over-winter in a protected area. The workers and drones die off and the nest is essentially abandoned, and picked apart by birds and other critters looking for food. While tempting and often done, bringing nests into the home can be a painful stinging experience.

There are plenty of stories of abandoned nests coming to life after a good warming up in the house. Some advocate plastic bagging the abandoned nest, and letting it die off for an extended period of time outdoors or in a deep freeze. Let the nest warm, check for emerging live wasps, before opening the bag.

The American beech tree, Fagus grandifolia- meaning ‘to eat (edible nuts)’ and ‘grand foliage’, is the only native Beech species in North American - and one of the most recognizable trees in the country. Its’ smooth, light gray bark has irresistibly provoked young and not so young boys to pull out their pocket knife and carve initials. While generally not harmful to tree health, such carving can create entry points for tree decay. Amazingly over 70 decay fungi have been found in Beech trees- a record for hardwood species.

The beech nut is a triangular shaped thin skinned seed encase in a 1/2 by 3/4-inch soft spined husk. The beech nut is edible and I believe quite tasty. However, they should not be eaten in large quantities due to the slightly toxic organic substances in the nuts. They are produced in abundance every 2-3 years and can be picked up from the ground in October – December unless hungry deer, squirrels, and other wildlife beat you to them.

Indiana’s largest Beech Tree is 145 feet tall, and 182 inches in circumference. Beech was once used in abundance for making wooden clothespins, but this has declined along with the backyard clotheslines. Beech is still actively used for bowl making. The Holland Bowl Mill in Southwest Michigan turns about 40,000 beech bowls annually. Check them out at the site www.hollandbowlmill.com Beech wood chips are used in beer making as a fining agent, and to smoke some cheeses. Beech trees are well like as ornamental trees, due to their unique bark, branching habits and yellow, brown fall color. The browned leaves will often hang on the tree until heavy November/December freezes. A prime firewood, it is said beechwood burns with an even flame, leaving very little ash.

Despite its attractive wood grain Beech is not considered a prime timber tree, but is well know for its wildlife food source, and tendency to have hollow trunks or den sites utilize by many wildlife species. It is not uncommon for the American Beech to live well over 200 years. It is one of my favorite trees too.