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Wasps
Learn More About Wasps
There are over 30,000 species of wasps found in every continent except Antarctica. Often confused with bees, wasps are flying, stinging insects that are seen as aggressive predators. They commonly build nests on and around houses, which can be a dangerous nuisance, especially if children are near.
When most people think of wasps, only a handful come to mind, like yellow jackets. But all wasps are actually part of a much bigger order of insects collectively known as Hymenoptera. Believe it or not, the Hymenopteraorder contains over 150,000 living species! The ones that you should be concerned about as a Seattle area homeowner are within the groups Parasitica and Aculeata.
Even within those groups, there is a lot of diversity. Although you don’t see many of them, over 4,000 species of wasps live in the United States. Having said that, only a small number of eusocial wasps — which, is to say, hive-builders — are bothersome pests.
If a nest of stinging insects has your family worried, our pest management professionals can work to treat it quickly. Our technicians train to take care of this process with methods that are safe for your family and the environment. This can include low-impact green pest control if necessary. For wasps, activity in the nest will typically subside within 24 hours. However, we ask that you allow 3-5 days for complete control. After five days have passed, the nest can be removed if desired. With that said, removing the physical nest is not necessary, as wasps will not recolonize it later. This is important to know since some nests, such as those found in wall voids, cannot be retrieved.
Protect your loved ones from painful stings and contact us today for expert wasp control services!
| Pest Identification: | |
|---|---|
| Size | ¾ – 1½ inches |
| Color | Usually brown and red, sometimes yellow or blue |
| Body Structure | Often confused with yellow jacket wasps, paper wasps (Polistes spp.) are also yellow and black, but they are a little longer, a little narrower, and the legs are much longer. They can be easily distinguished by their legs hanging beneath them as they fly. The nests are relatively small and are composed of a single open layer of honeycombed paper mache and are most often found under soffits and eaves and other protected areas. |
| Characteristics | Wasps are commonly feared by humans because they are somewhat aggressive and have a painful sting. They are capable of emitting a pheromone that sends a stress signals to their nearby colony members which will result in defensive stinging. |
| Habitat & Behavior | Wasps can be found in backyards, gardens, woodlands, and meadows. Wasps build and live in paper-like nests made from wood fibers that have been chewed into a pulp. They form colonies inside the nests. |
| Commonly Active | Spring/Summer/Fall |
| Prevention & Treatment | As mentioned above, wasps are an aggressive, stinging insect. They are especially dangerous because each wasp is capable of stinging a human more than once. Though there are store-bought wasp removals, we recommend calling a professional pest control company due to their aggressive nature. |
