Tunbridge Man Baxter Doty Amasses Massive Hornet Nest Collection

“I just kept on making and getting,” said Baxter Doty, an 82-year-old Tunbridge resident who has spent more than 20 years collecting hornets’ nests.

Doty has amassed a massive collection of these natural structures, which currently sits at 160 nests housed inside his two-car garage, WCAX reported.

The pursuit of these “hornet hotels” has become a defining characteristic of Doty’s life in the Vermont town. While most people might avoid the stinging insects, Doty views the nests as fascinating objects to be gathered and preserved.

Doty’s interest in collecting stems from his time working in the area. While he previously worked as a farmer, he later transitioned to driving trucks for the state of Vermont.

The mobility provided by his former career gave him a unique vantage point for his hobby. As he traveled the back roads, he could keep a watchful eye on the trees for the next addition to his garage collection.

“Anyone sees those nests, they immediately call Baxter,” said Barbara Kohn, a longtime friend and neighbor.

The community has become an informal network of lookouts for the collector. Kohn said that Doty effectively has “spotters all over the town looking for him.”

Collecting the nests is not without its physical hurdles. During a recent drive through the area, Doty identified a nest hanging high on a tree near the property of his longtime friend, Richard Barnaby.

Because the nest was located too high for him to reach safely, it remained out of grasp. When reporter Joe Carroll suggested that the nest wasn’t worth the risk of a fall, Doty remained undeterred.

“Well, I don’t know,” Doty replied, maintaining his resolve to continue the search despite the difficulty.

The timing of the collection is also dictated by the Vermont climate. Doty observed that the hornets themselves die off once a hard frost hits the region.

Even with the rain and the difficult terrain of the local dirt roads, Doty’s enthusiasm hasn’t waned. “No sir, I’m not giving up!” he told WCAX.

The hobby has elicited a range of responses from those who live alongside him. For some, it is a quirky but understandable passion, while for others, it is simply a unique way to spend time.

“Everybody’s different, which is nice,” Barnaby said regarding Doty’s interest. “It isn’t something that I would want, but if he wants it, he can have it.”

Other neighbors have expressed more direct curiosity about the motivation behind the massive accumulation of insect dwellings.

“I asked him why he does this,” said neighbor Sharon Levasseur. “‘Because I want to!’”

Despite the unusual nature of the collection, many in Tunbridge see the value in Doty’s singular focus. Kohn said that "people collect all kinds of things," relating Doty's hobby to general human collecting habits.

Doty himself finds the process deeply rewarding, telling his friend that when one goes hunting, they should look for bee nests instead of deer.

As for the capacity of his storage, the 82-year-old shows no signs of slowing down or running out of space. “Oh yeah, I’ll make room!” Doty said.

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