Bald-faced hornet from mid-April to early October, and reproductives were produced from mid-July through the end of November. Onset of male output usually precedes that of queen output in social wasps, however here "D. maculata" is an exception to this trend. Energy investment by workers required to produce reproductives is considerable. Newly emerged males and queens are no more functional than pupae; both depend heavily on solid prey brought in by workers, thus competing with larvae for food resources. As a result, worker quantity must remain high in order to maintain reproductive output. Workers must maintain food stores and defend the nest,
Bob Stratton Bald accessible via the Stratton Bald Trail (FS Trail 54), which connects to the Benton MacKaye Trail and the Cherohala Skyway. Bob Stratton Bald Bob Stratton Bald, often referred to as Stratton Bald, is a grassy bald in the Unicoi Mountains located in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness in the Nantahala National Forest. Its elevation is approximately 5,360 feet. The bald is named for Robert "Bob" Stratton (1825-1864), whose family lived on the bald. The bald is subdivided into two smaller balds: Stratton Bald (elevation 5,360 feet), and Bob Bald (elevation 5,280 feet). Together, they make up Bob Stratton Bald. It is