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Hornets

Sandra Markle - Author

A structured introduction to hornet biology follows the queen, workers and developing young, then compares hornets with other insect architects. Diagrams and a hands-on activity add visual and practical ways into the subject.

More about this book

Take a closer look at nature’s amazing insect architect—the hornet! Each year, a young female hornet queen selects just the right spot and designs a nest of six-sided cells. Every cell is made from a paper-like material she creates by mixing wood with her own saliva. Once she has a small structure, she lays an egg in each cell and raises her young. Soon the queen has a whole family of workers, which continue to build more cells and increase the size of the hive. These workers also hunt insects for food, care for the queen and her young, and protect the nest. In this exciting book, you can learn what makes hornets similar to and different from other insects. Close-up diagrams reveal extraordinary details about hornets’ bodies, both inside and out. And you can perform an activity that helps you understand how a female hornet queen creates the paper-like material for her nest. Learn more about this exciting member of nature’s fascinating Insect World!

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Hornet nest construction· ExplainedColony roles· ExplainedCare and protection· Explained

Consider

Violence and harmViolence

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

hornet nest constructioncolony rolescare and protectionhornets and other insectsnest-building

Non-fictionIllustrated book

Themes in Context

Colony work and nest-building

The book describes how hornet queens and workers build the nest and carry out other colony tasks.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The colony’s tasks are presented as connected parts of hornet life, with nest-building at the centre of the explanation.

Talk about: How does the book show the relationship between building the nest and the workers’ other tasks?

Comparing insect architects

The book compares hornets with other insects and includes a section on other insect architects.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: Comparison is used to place hornets among other nest-building insects rather than treating them in isolation.

Talk about: Which similarities and differences does the book emphasise between hornets and other insect architects?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The book connects nest construction with the colony’s other work: workers gather food, care for young and protect the nest. That combination can help a reader see how different tasks fit into a hornet colony.

What Deserves Attention

If those details are a concern, preview the relevant sections together.

A Conversation Worth Having

Which part of the colony’s work seems most important to you, and how do the diagrams help you understand what the hornets are doing?

Reading Approach

Browse the contents first and choose a section that interests your reader. Pause at the diagrams to identify details, then try the nest-material activity if it suits your reading session.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Colony work and nest-building: The contents do not establish how much detail is given about variation among colonies or individual hornets.
Comparing insect architects: The specific insects and comparison criteria are not fully established.

Hornets: Incredible Insect Architects - Sandra Markle - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Colony work and nest-building; Comparing insect architects

Hornets by Sandra Markle | Open Library