Yesterday, a member on the team found an active yellowjacket nest on this bank below the cart path on #3. Based on the number of yellowjackets that swarmed the ground (fortunately no one was stung) after it was disturbed, we figured it was a pretty large nest. This morning, as I was on the 2nd hole, I noticed the nest was disturbed and nothing left but a hollow cavity in the ground. Bears, raccoons, skunks and other animals eat the nests for the bee larva inside. While it doesn't sound very appetizing, it's nice to know the yellowjackets are gone.
I also got to thinking as I walked on the golf course, why are yellowjackets home to a nest while honey bees are home to a hive. I always thought they had the same life goals. I did some research and learned the following. All insects, honey bees, yellowjackets etc, call their home a nest. While the two words are used interchangeably, the scientific definition is that a nest is made by the insects with natural materials, like a hornet nest hanging from a tree branch. A hive is an artificial structure used by insects to build their colonies. So if a honey bee builds their own structure in a tree cavity, it is a nest but if it uses a wooden box built by an apiculturist, it is known as a hive. These are the types of questions that keep me up at night.
