Whack the Wasps – Dealing with and Getting Rid of Wasp Problems

Native Paper Wasp (most common in Midwest)

Summer time brings cook-outs, dips in the pool, working on our elusive tan, and all the pesky bugs we manage to deal with but never really enjoy. Among the least favorites are those of the stinging variety – namely, wasps. Many of us fear their elusive sting and immediately go into eradicate-at-all-costs mode when we see a nest. However, knowing a bit more about these buzzing critters might help you to eliminate the problem more effectively.

Solitary vs. Social Wasp
Wasps, surprisingly, are either introverts or extroverts; they either form hives for a social lifestyle or stay to themselves with a small solitary nest. Those solitary swarmers won’t cause you many problems, since they like to be left alone by their species and ours. It’s the social clans you need to be concerned about.

While, most of the time, social wasps build hives in secluded locations, their idea of seclusion (i.e. the eves of your garage) may not be the same as ours (a tree deep in a forest somewhere). Social wasps start as one – a single female wasp who hibernates in the ground or cracks of walls/wood, complete with fertilized eggs. As the warm spring months approach, she emerges and begins to build a hive.

European Paper Wasp & Nest

The female wasp will lay a few eggs that will soon hatch to become sterile female workers. They start building on the hive more, while momma wasp lays more eggs. The hive continues to grow, as does the number of worker wasps, becoming a full-fledged swarm by fall (we’re talking hundreds… maybe even thousands of wasps). While it takes several weeks for eggs to hatch, so many are laid that new ones hatch every day.

Some of the worker larvae are given a different diet before hatching, making them fertile queens. During the fall, the momma wasp lays some unfertilized eggs and they become the male wasps, with the purpose of procreation. The queens are fertilized and leave the hive, while the remaining worker wasps die during the winter.

There are three main types of wasps:

• Paper Wasp (native and European variety)
• Bald-Faced Hornet
• Yellow-Jacket

Paper Wasp

Bald-Faced Hornet up-close

The most common paper wasp native to this region is red to brown in color and about an inch to inch-and-a-half in length. These wasps can be social or solitary, with nests ranging in size from as few as three egg “beds” to dozens. The nests, made of paper, dangle from overhanging eves by a stalk and are in the shape of an umbrella, with several canals for the developing eggs and larvae. Native paper wasps are most active in the earlier part of the warm season (spring) and are what you will usually find in the Midwest and Ozarks.

European paper wasps have long, thin bodies that are black and yellow in color. While this may resemble the yellow-jacket, European paper wasps do have a hint of brown in their coloring and are thinner. First discovered in 1978, European paper wasps are mostly found in the west, northwest and east coast regions. They are most active in the middle of June.  Their nest design is the same as the native paper wasp.

Bald-Faced Hornet

Bald-Faced Hornet & Nest

Yes, this is a type of wasp. Also known as the white-faced hornet or white-tailed hornet, this species of wasp is white and black in color. If a female feels the need to defend her nest, she will do so through repeated stings, an aggressive nature not harbored by all wasps. They begin building paper nests (chewed up wood and saliva) in the spring and these football-shaped apparatuses can reach up to three feet in length. The life cycle is the same as paper wasps. Bald-faced hornets, while all over North America, are usually found in the areas of the Rocky Mountains, and both the east and west coasts.

Yellow-Jacket Wasp
Yellow-jackets, as the name would surmise, are black and yellow in color. They’re smaller when it comes to wasps, often about the same size as a honey bee (about half an inch). Of note, honey bees have brown hair all over their bodies, while yellow-jackets do not. The hives, or nests, are similar to the other wasps in regard to the German yellow-jacket (dominant in the Midwest). However, eastern yellow-jackets (much less prominent) build their nests underground.

Yellow-Jacket

These wasps are social in nature. Another distinguishing characteristic is the fact that, before they land, they rapidly fly side-to-side. Again, the life cycle is the same as paper wasps, and they also have been known to sting repeatedly when agitated.

Wasp Nest Eradication
Pesticides, specifically wasp sprays, are the most effective in getting rid of a wasp overpopulation. You need to first locate the nest, which you can do easiest at dusk. Watch for several bugs flying in the same direction – this is an indication of the wasps going back to their nest for the night. Wait until it is dark outside for a few hours before commencing your attack, since this means the wasps will be less likely to create a counter-strike.

Spraying with a sweeping motion, while aiming mostly for the entry of the nest, is of the most benefit. Of note, pesticides only work on adult wasps. If there are eggs left in the hive, they will still hatch. Additionally, if you don’t kill the queen wasp, the process of reproduction will continue.

Alternative Method if the Nest Eludes You

Homemade Wasp Trap

If you’re having a hard time locating the nest, but wasps are swarming areas that you and your family frequent in the yard, then you may want to consider building a wasp trap. The process is quite simple, inexpensive and effective (and it works for bees, too):

• Cut the top (about 3 inches down) off of an empty two liter plastic soda bottle
• Invert the top into the remainder of the bottle to create a funnel, gluing it in place with silicone sealant
• Allow the sealant to dry for 24 hours
• Insert string or wire for hanging
• Fill the bottle ¼ of the way with a mixture of 50% water and 50% sugar

Simply hang the bottle on a tree or fence where there is a lot of wasp traffic. The wasps will crawl into the bottle throw the funnel to get to the sugar mixture, but won’t be able to get out. When it’s full, replace it.

Above all else, whatever method you choose, be cautious. Wasp stings hurt and, while there are several methods to help with the pain (baking soda or meat tenderizer pastes are popular home remedies), it’s still never a pleasant experience. You also may be allergic to their venom, much like some are allergic to bee stings, so do what you can to avoid provocation as much as possible.