Bee Fact #88

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Wasps

Wasps are generally seen as a benefit to the environment, wasps are predatory flying insects. Wasps species are a great source of organic pest control on gardens, farms, and crops. There are generally two types of wasps, solitary and social wasps. Social wasp species live in large numbers. Wasp nests are abandoned by late autumn; the remaining queens also leave and over-winter until spring. Wasps eat meat and sweets. Wasps can be more hot-tempered than bees, and should be treated with caution. If you’re trying to eliminate nuisance wasps attached to your home or near a doorway, it is best done at night or very early in the morning. Below are pictures and information on common wasps in the U.S. and Canada.

Yellow Jackets

Size:	1/2 inch in size.
Type:	Social Wasp
Population:	Up to 5,000 members per nest. Nests have multiple layers.
US Region:	Yellow Jackets are popular in the north east, mid east and south east regions.

Often mistaken for honeybees, yellow jackets are a bit smaller in size, and are also brighter yellow as to the more orange color of honeybees. Yellow jackets may have a rapid side to side flight pattern prior to landing. They are scavengers eating meats and sweets and often found in parks or disrupting parties, picnics or other park events. Yellow jackets are sometimes called meat wasps, meat bees, or hornets. They have a stinger without barbs and can sting repeatedly without dying. Yellow jacket stings most often cause a swelling reaction followed by itching for a couple days. They are very aggressive defenders and are generally found nesting in holes in the ground; though occasionally nest in wall voids and attics. Seasonally, yellow jacket colony’s reach a size of 4,000 and 5,000 workers and a nest of 10,000 and 15,000 cells in August and early September. Like all wasps, yellow jackets abandoned their nest by late autumn. It’s generally considered unwise to try to remove a yellow jackets nest yourself.

Occasionally yellow jackets can end up in the house in large numbers. This is usually preceded by a slow growing wet spot on the ceiling, caused from liquid dripping from the established nest onto the drywall day after day. Every so often, a curious homeowner will poke or push their finger right through the deteriorated ceiling and end up with an unfortunate surprise.

Yellow jackets attached to the house will not survive through winter. However, the queens abandon the nest and will hibernate until early spring, with 95% of them hibernating in attics. If you have yellow jackets in your attic, one thing you can do to discourage them returning next year is to put up some chemical cards labeled for yellowjackets like "hot shot," perhaps one to every 3 studs / bays. Yellow jacks tend to choose either the eave or the foundation of the house, and occasionally where the chimney and the wall meet.

Hornets

Size:	Up to 2 inches in size
Type:	Social Wasp
Population:	Have up to 700 members per nest.
US Region:	Hornets are most popular in the north east region

Some hornets species can look similar to yellow jackets, but hornets are larger and thicker. Hornets are slightly less aggressive than yellow jackets and like most wasps, hornets can sting multiple times with a very strong painful sting. Hornets build warped ball shaped nests the size of a football or soccer ball in eaves, attics, and building, including bushes, trees. It’s generally considered unwise to try to remove a hornets’ nest without experience. While most hornet species are yellow and black, there are also white and black hornets.

 

Paper Wasps

Size:	3/4 to an inch long.
Type:	Social wasps
Population:	Nest sizes generally consist of 5 to 30 wasps
US Region:	West and South east regions.

There are many species of paper wasps in the US. Paper wasps average 3/4" to 1 1/2" long; yellow and black in appearance. Nests are made of grayish brown papery material. Paper wasp nests are relatively small containing 4 to 30 wasps per nest not, to be confused with hornets which build much larger hives and can be similar in size. Paper wasps are often found hanging under the eaves, but can also be found in attics, trees, as well as other structures. Paper wasps attack when aggravated and have a painful sting; they can also sting multiple times and do not loose there stinger.

Occasionally these wasps are found inside the house. This happens when a nest is living in the attic and there is perhaps a bit of light entering the attic from a wall vent or ceiling fixture. In this case the wasp goes to the light thinking it leads back outside but ends up in the house. At this point the wasp will typically fly around near the windows looking for an exit. Wasps are much more comfortable navigating inside of a house than honeybees are, as honeybees simply go strait to the window and buzz until exhausted.

 

Mud Wasps

There are 3 types of mud wasps shown below: mud daubers, potter wasps, and pollen wasps. These species are typically found in the same surrounding areas as one another. They earned the name Mud Wasps, as they construct their homes from mud or clay. Mud wasps nest in the ground as well as on walls of homes and businesses. Mud wasps are solitary wasps and vary from 1/2 inch to 1 inch in size and have relativly small nests.

 

Mud Daubers

Size:	Up to 1 inch long
Wasp Type:	Solitary wasps
Population:	Small nests commonly flat but oval shaped these nest rang from the size of a peanut to a large lemon but rarely get that thick.
US Region:	South east and West

Sometimes called dirt daubers, the mud dauber species seldom sting and are not protective of their nests. Mud daubers typically attach under all kinds of eaves, porches, and walls; they are commonly identified by their hard mud nests which are abandoned late autumn. Mud daubers have a very compressed alien like look with their skinny needle like waist; they are also called thread waist wasps. Some mud daubers prey on black widow spiders.

 

Potter Wasp

 

Size:	1/2 inch long
Wasp Type:	Generally solitary wasps
Population:	Very tiny nest size – less than a size of a lemon
US Region:	These wasps are located in the South East and West.

Sometimes called mason wasps, potter wasps build "pot" or jug shaped nests. Out of all wasp species, potter wasps have the largest diversity of species, which have been classified into about two hundred groups as shown in wikipedia. potter wasp species.

 

Pollen Wasp

 

Size:	3/4 inches long
Wasp Type:	Solitary wasps
Population:	Smaller than average nest size – Nest burrows in ground, constructed out of mud and water
US Region:	These wasps are located in the South East and West.

Pollen wasps are sometimes mistaken for yellow jackets, but differentiate by their large clubbed antennas. Pollen wasps are however similar to many solitary bees in that they feed their young entirely on nectar and pollen, hence the name "pollen wasp". Rocks or crevices low to the earth make attractive nesting sites for pollen wasps.

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There are many kinds of bee species. Visit our bee identification guide to learn basic information on the most common types of bees.

 

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