![You are the Queen](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/title-youarethequeen/4305254-3-eng-US/title-youarethequeen_full_495.png 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/title-youarethequeen/4305254-3-eng-US/title-youarethequeen_full_990.png 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/title-youarethequeen/4305254-3-eng-US/title-youarethequeen_full_1468.png 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/title-youarethequeen/4305254-3-eng-US/title-youarethequeen_full_1980.png 1980w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/title-youarethequeen/4305254-3-eng-US/title-youarethequeen_full_2475.png 2200w)
![cartoon wasp with crown](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/queen_circle/4305250-1-eng-US/queen_circle_full_495.gif 205w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/queen_circle/4305250-1-eng-US/queen_circle_full_990.gif 205w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/queen_circle/4305250-1-eng-US/queen_circle_full_1468.gif 205w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/queen_circle/4305250-1-eng-US/queen_circle_full_1980.gif 205w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/queen_circle/4305250-1-eng-US/queen_circle_full_2475.gif 205w)
How would YOU do as queen of a wasp colony? Find out by playing a bald-faced hornet queen. Your goal: to build a strong, safe wasp colony and produce enough queens by fall for future colonies.
As you make decisions along the way, remember these important facts about the colony's life cycle:
![the ground with grass and snow](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_winter/4305246-1-eng-US/season_winter_full_495.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_winter/4305246-1-eng-US/season_winter_full_990.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_winter/4305246-1-eng-US/season_winter_full_1468.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_winter/4305246-1-eng-US/season_winter_full_1980.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_winter/4305246-1-eng-US/season_winter_full_2475.png 82w)
WINTER
- A bald-faced hornet colony lasts from spring through autumn each year. Only the queen survives the winter, hibernating in a safe place.
![field with grass and flowers](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_spring/4305242-1-eng-US/season_spring_full_495.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_spring/4305242-1-eng-US/season_spring_full_990.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_spring/4305242-1-eng-US/season_spring_full_1468.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_spring/4305242-1-eng-US/season_spring_full_1980.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_spring/4305242-1-eng-US/season_spring_full_2475.png 82w)
SPRING
- The queen builds a small nest and lays the first eggs.
- Female workers hatch from these eggs. They take over foraging for food and building the nest so the queen can put her energy into laying more eggs.
![insects and flowers](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_summer/4305238-1-eng-US/season_summer_full_495.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_summer/4305238-1-eng-US/season_summer_full_990.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_summer/4305238-1-eng-US/season_summer_full_1468.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_summer/4305238-1-eng-US/season_summer_full_1980.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_summer/4305238-1-eng-US/season_summer_full_2475.png 82w)
SUMMER
- This is an important time for feeding and growing the colony.
- By late summer, some female larvae (hatchlings) receive more food so they can develop into queens.
- Males are produced that can mate with the new queens.
![the ground with fallen leaves](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_fall/4305230-1-eng-US/season_fall_full_495.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_fall/4305230-1-eng-US/season_fall_full_990.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_fall/4305230-1-eng-US/season_fall_full_1468.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_fall/4305230-1-eng-US/season_fall_full_1980.png 82w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/zoology/you-are-the-queen/season_fall/4305230-1-eng-US/season_fall_full_2475.png 82w)
FALL
- All the wasps in the colony die except for the new fertilized queens. They'll bury themselves and sleep until spring, when they'll start their own colonies.
Things to Remember:
- Other animals will try to destroy your nest, so build it in a safe place.
- If you don't have enough food to feed the hive, your colony could die without any queens.
- Don't let winter come without queens - but you'll also need males to mate with them and workers to feed them.
Good Luck!
Funding provided by National Science Foundation Grant DEB-0843505.