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Wasps, Hornets, and Yellow Jackets
Wasp and Hornet Removal
Although wasps do not produce honey and seldom help pollinate plants, the majority of the wasp family is still considered to be beneficial to humans. This is because they eat other insects that can destroy crops and flowers as well as spiders that can present a greater health risk to you and your family.
However, wasps that nest in the ground can actually destroy your lawn if it goes unchecked.
What separates yellow jackets from the rest of the wasp family is that yellow jackets are very social animals. Although yellow jackets build nests and live together, they do not produce any honey. However, yellow jackets can still kill many of the insects that would destroy your plants otherwise.
Yellow jacket colonies do not even closely reach the numbers found in bee hives. Yellow jackets do swarm more frequently and will discard a nest after its use. This is why it is not important to remove a nest after it has been used. However, yellow jackets will forage close areas for any food source while the nest is under construction. This can ruin many outdoor barbeques and picnics.
Name |
Appearance |
Behavior |
Environment |
Cicada Killer
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29mm to 40mm in length, black and pale yellow abdomen, red wings, head, and legs, smooth and shiny body, slender |
Solitary and not aggressive |
Found in the southern United States, burrows into the ground with a mound of dirt surrounding it |
Red Wasp
|
13mm to 50mm in length, completely red body with black wings, slender, hairless body |
Solitary but builds nests, not aggressive |
Nests can be found in tree, building, lawns, walls, and bushes |
Paper Wasp
|
20mm to 25mm in length, black with yellow spots and some stripes, best identified by their spotted appearance, slender and hairless |
Somewhat social and not aggressive |
Found worldwide in temperate climates, nests are found in trees, gutters, walls, buildings, and bushes |
Hornet
|
55mm in length, the largest of all wasps, typically darker in color than other wasps and yellow jackets, smooth shiny body, covered slightly in hair |
Solitary and aggressive |
Found in the United States, as with other wasps, hornets can nest almost anywhere |
Yellow Jacket
|
12mm to 25mm in length, black with thin pale yellow stripes, smooth shiny body and almost completely hairless, tan wings |
Social and defensive at nest |
Found worldwide although very common in the southeastern United States, they nest almost everywhere – attics, walls of buildings, ground dwellings, bushes, and trees |
Southern/German Yellow Jacket
|
Similar in appearance to the common yellow jacket, queens may appear more orange in color |
Social and defensive at nest |
Very common in Texas and other southern states, can nest almost anywhere |
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