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,
HMS Hornet (1794) 243 tons burthen, and was armed with sixteen 9-pounders. She too had a crew of 30 men.</ref>|group=Note}} "Hornet" was refitted for £3,554 at Portsmouth in June and July 1799. In August "Hornet" was part of the British fleet that captured the Dutch fleet in the Vlieter Incident. Nash then sailed "Hornet" to the West Indies. In 1800 she accompanied a convoy to the West Indies. While at Guadeloupe in October, a boat from "Hornet" attempted to press some men off the "New Ceres", whose crew resisted, killing "Hornet"s second lieutenant, and wounding another crewman. The next day "Hornet" tried again,