Papírfészkes

Papírfészkes refers to a type of nest constructed by certain species of wasps, particularly those in the genus Polistes, commonly known as paper wasps. These wasps build their nests from a material they create by chewing wood fibers and mixing them with their saliva. This process results in a paper-like pulp that hardens into a durable, often gray or brownish, structure.

The typical papírfészkes is an open, umbrella-shaped or fan-shaped comb, lacking the enclosing outer envelope found in some other social wasps like yellowjackets or hornets. The cells of the comb are hexagonal and exposed, usually hanging from a substrate such as a tree branch, eave of a building, or other sheltered overhang. Individual wasps work collaboratively to build and expand the nest, with the queen typically being the primary builder and egg-layer early in the colony's development.

These nests are generally smaller than those of other social wasps, often containing only a few dozen cells. The open structure allows for easy access and ventilation but offers less protection from predators and the elements. Papírfészkes are common in temperate and tropical regions worldwide. The term itself is derived from Hungarian, where "papír" means paper and "fészek" means nest.