Hornet hornets may often be black and white. There is also a related genus of Asian nocturnal vespines, "Provespa", which are referred to as "night wasps" or "night hornets", though they are not true hornets. Some other large wasps are sometimes referred to as hornets, most notably the bald-faced hornet ("Dolichovespula maculata") found in North America. It is set apart by its black and ivory coloration. The name "hornet" is used for this and related species primarily because of their habit of making aerial nests (similar to the true hornets) rather than subterranean nests. Another example is the Australian hornet ("Abispa
Bald-faced hornet temporal specifics vary depending on location. In Washington State, nest initiation occurs during mid-May, and workers emerge during mid-June. Large cell building starts during mid-July, and the first queens emerge during mid-August. The colony terminates during mid-September, for a life cycle of approximately four months (122 days). Lower latitudes correlate with longer life cycles. In Indiana, colonies were observed to begin in early May and terminate in late September, a life cycle of five months (153 days), and in Central California nests are initiated as early as the end of March. These nests survive between 155 and 170 days. Active