What kind of animal or bird would remove wasp nests?
Question:
We found wasp nests had been removed from under our porches and similar areas. The nests were empty of larva. We’re wondering what kind of animal would do this? Perhaps a bird that will do this?
Answer:
It’s always handy when nature takes care of wasps in inconvenient spots for you!
Among Maine fauna, rats, raccoons. skunks, weasels, and bears will occasionally tackle a wasp nest in order to eat the larvae. There are also numerous birds who will pick the larvae out of a nest to eat them, but none that I know of that regularly drag the nest away (an ornithologist colleague at UMO, Dr. Brian Olsen, agrees). I’m inclined to suspect a mammal simply because of the physical removal of the nests from their original location. As to which one, I would say to keep your eyes peeled and you may spot it around the property.
Happy gardening.