You are sitting outside on a beautiful summer day when you notice wasps flying around. It is never good to have wasps that close or attached to your home. So you look around and you notice that you have a wasp nest attached to your home. Sometimes it is hard to identify what type of wasp you have. Bat, Bee & Hornet Removal will talk a little bit about what a paper wasp is and how they behave.

What Do Paper Wasps Look Like? What are the Markings?

A paper wasp may get confused with a yellow jacket, but they are slimmer than a yellow jacket and have a smaller waist. They have six long legs, wings, and an antenna. Paper wasps are brownish in color and usually have yellow markings but they can also be found with red stripes. They are about .75 to 1.5 inches. There are about 22 species of paper wasps. They are also known as umbrella wasps.

Paper Wasp Nest

Many people call them umbrella wasps because of their nests. Their nest often looks like an upside-down umbrella. It can look and feel like papier-mâché. Their nests are not completely covered. They are somewhat open, unlike a yellow jacket. The nests are attached horizontally by a single stock and can grow depending on the size of the colony. You will find these on the attic rafters, porch ceilings, or high in the trees. They like to build their nest up higher in places.

Are Paper Wasps Good for Anything?

Paper wasps like to eat insects and spiders. They can be very beneficial in helping control insect populations. They also will kill many of the bugs that like to damage trees and crops. They are actually one of the top predators for killing bugs, like aphids that destroy crops. They will also kill houseflies and blowflies. They will help with pollination by feeding on the Nectar from flowers. They do not do it as much as bees, but they do feed on the nectar. Because paper wasps will eat insects and feed on nectar, they are actually good for your garden.

Should I Worry About Paper Wasps?

Paper wasps will sting you. Like many other insects, they will only sting you if they feel threatened. If you are by their nest or in their territory and they feel threatened, then they will sting you. They do this to protect the queen. They are considered aggressive and will sting repeatedly if they feel threatened. Their stings can be extremely painful. That is why you do not want to disturb their nest. It is best to leave it to a professional to get rid of paper wasps.

Is there a Queen in a Paper Wasp Nest?

The reason they protect the queen is because a single fertilized queen can start a new paper wasp nest. Once that wasp matures, they will expand the nest to as big as they need it. These wasps are called the Brood which become workers that search for food and care for the new larva. Once winter comes, the nest is abandoned and usually, the only one to survive is the queen until spring, and then a new colony is established.

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Even though paper wasps can be good for crops and gardens they can be dangerous if you have a nest near your home or attached to your home. If you do have one you need to remove call Bat, Bee & Hornet Removal to come and remove the paper wasp nest, so that nobody in your house or coming to visit will get hurt.