What Does a Wasp Nest Look Like?
By Wespenprofis.ch · Reviewed by:Fachbewilligung Schädlingsbekämpfung VFB-S · Updated: 3 July 2026
At a glance
A typical wasp nest is round to egg-shaped, made of grey-brown, paper-like material, and grows to roughly the size of a football over the summer. A hornet nest is usually larger with more widely spaced combs, whereas a paper wasp nest is open and has no outer envelope, leaving the combs visible.
Shape and material
A wasp nest grows around the queen, who lays its foundation in spring using chewed wood fibres. The characteristic paper-like envelope forms because wasps rasp wood away, mix it with saliva and apply it in thin strips — hence the typical grey-brown marbled grain. Inside, several tiers of hexagonal combs sit one above the other, and this is where the brood develops. Depending on the location, the nest is spherical, egg-shaped or adapted to its surroundings, for example flat along a gap in a wall or elongated inside a cavity.
Size and colour over the course of the year
In spring, a newly founded nest is often no bigger than a golf ball. It grows steadily over the summer and reaches its maximum size in late summer — in some cases up to 30 cm or more in diameter, housing several hundred to well over a thousand insects. The colour varies from light grey to dark brown depending on the wood used, often with clearly visible wave-like layers.
Telling it apart from a hornet or paper wasp nest
A hornet nest resembles a wasp nest in construction, but is usually noticeably larger, with a coarser structure and comb tiers set further apart. You will find more on this in our guide on finding a hornet nest. A paper wasp nest, by contrast, is fundamentally different: it stays small, has no protective outer envelope and hangs openly from a single stalk, so the combs are directly visible — usually close to the ground on plant stems or beneath window sills.
Good to know
Whatever the species or appearance: once a nest has been discovered, it should not be touched or disturbed. You will find the essentials on how to proceed in our pillar guide on what to do when you find a wasp nest. How much a nest grows over the season is explained in the guide How big does a wasp nest get?
Frequently asked questions
What is the grey outer shell made of?
Wasps chew wood fibres together with saliva into a paper-like pulp which, once dry, forms the characteristic marbled grey envelope.
How does a hornet nest look different?
A hornet nest is usually noticeably larger, has a coarser, more brownish structure, and its combs sit further apart than those of an ordinary wasp nest.
Why are the combs of a paper wasp nest openly visible?
Paper wasps build no protective outer envelope. Their small, usually umbrella-shaped nest hangs openly from a single stalk, so the hexagonal combs are directly visible.