Paper wasp nests resemble honeycombs. To make these nests, the wasps find weathered wood, sourced from old fences or porches, and chew this wood fiber into a paste-like pulp mixed with their saliva. Then, the insects form this pulp into hexagon-shaped paper cells.

At first, the workers make only as many cells as they need to hold their eggs. Eventually, however, the paper wasp nest will contain approximately 200 cells. From the outside, these nests appear umbrella-shaped and often hang in protected areas like tree branches, eaves, porches and railings. Wasp nests look a lot like the paper nests built by other creatures like hornets and yellow jackets.

However, those insects cover their entire nest within an envelope of paper pulp while wasps leave their nests bare, and most yellowjackets build their nests underground. These simple facts can help you with wasp nest identification.

More Info: sciencing.com