Wasps' Nests of Vespula/Dolichovespula species

Common, German and other "vespula/dolichovespula" wasp species are "social wasps" - sometimes called "paper wasps," a term also applied specifically to "polistes" species, from their habit of chewing wood to a pulp and pressing it to form intricately-layered nests. These nests, larger than a football, are often suspended from/supported on trees at varying heights (see photos above - Common Wasp), built using an already excavated hole in the ground (see below, also Common Wasps) or, as many householders know, built in a convenient roof space or similar in a building.

The perfectly-formed Saxon wasps' nest above left and centre was expanded the next year to the one above right, all photographed by Martin Starnes - see link below for explanation/more images.

Hornets will usually build nests in trees, either tree holes (above left) or suspended. Martin also photographed the hornets' nest above centre, showing that they will also sometimes use indoor spaces. Above right shows the nest disassembled (once abandoned).

This intricate structure built in brambles is home to a colony of Median Wasps who also chewed wood to a paper paste to build the interior layers and external shell.