Hornets and Wasps

The Baldfaced Hornet gets its common name from its largely black color but mostly white face, and that of hornet because of its large size and aerial nest. 

Workers are about 5/8-3/4+" long.  Queens are about 3/4+" long.  Color is black with  white pattern on most of face, as 2 angular stripes on thorax towards head, and on last 3 abdominal segments.  Builds paper enclosed aerial nests, grey in color.

Baldfaced hornets are social insects that live in aerial nests.  The adults are represented by workers which are sterile females, queens and males which come from unfertilized eggs and usually appear in late summer.  Only inseminated females over winter and do so in sheltered places.  In the spring, she uses chewed up cellulose material to build a paper carton nest.  Nest size varies and contains 100-400 workers at its peak. 

The nest site can vary from shrubs or vines at ground level to 66ft or higher in trees.  Nest may also be built on overhangs, utility poles, houses, sheds, or other structures.  At maturity, the nest can be quite impressive with sizes of up to 14" in diameter and over24" in length. 

Baldfaced hornets help to control many pest insect species.  However, if the nest is located close to the ground and near an occupied structure or recreational area, then they should be treated.

The Cicada Killer gets its name from the fact that it hunts and provisions each of its nest cells with a cicada as food for its young.  These wasps can become a nuisance pest when they select an area around a structure as a nesting site.  People become alarmed because they look like giant yellowjackets. 

Cicada Killers are large, about 1-1 5/8" long.  Color is black to rusty with yellowish markings on 1st 3 abdominal segments.

Cicada Killers females in general will not sting unless handled or stepped on.  Males will buzz people but cannot sting.

Cicada Killers are solitary wasps.  However they may use the same general area for nesting purposes, but they do not share nests.  Each female digs her own burrow which is about  1/2"in diameter and may extend up to 10" deep.  She then locates a cicada, stings it, and brings the paralyzed cicada back to the burrow.  One to 2 cicadas may be placed in the burrow and an egg is deposited on one.  The wasp larvae feeds on the paralyzed cicada.  Adults usually emerge in July and August..

These are beneficial insects by helping to control cicada populations. 

The Mud daubers common name comes from the fact that they construct their nest of mud.

Adults are mostly about 1/2-1+" long.  They are slender and usually black in color, may have pale markings of a metallic luster. 

Mud daubers are solitary wasps, they are not social and do not live in colonies.    They usually select a sheltered site to build their mud tubes.  Favorite sites include under eaves, porch ceilings, in garages and sheds left open, in barns, protected building walls, and in attics.  Nests typically exhibit round holes in them as the wasps emerge.

Females construct nests of mud.  Many short mud tubes usually about 1" long are constructed side by side.  Each tube is provisioned with several spiders which she paralyzed with her venom, with the first spider in having an egg deposited in it.  Eventually this mass of tubes is entirely plaster over with mud.  The females then select another site and start over.

Mud daubers do not defend their nests and very rarely sting.  Mud daubers are beneficial insects that help to control spiders.  However if the nest is located near  human activity caution should be taken.

Paper wasps get their common name from the paper like material of which they construct their nests.  It has been suggested that they be called umbrella wasps based on the shape of their nests.

Adults are about 5/8"-3/4" long.  Color brownish with yellow markings, a few species with reddish markings. 

Paper wasps exists in small colonies but  without a worker caste.  Over wintering queens begin building nests in the spring.  These founding queens are often joined by other inseminated queens which assist in building the nest and maintenance.  These secondary queens become functional workers and relegate egg laying to the founding queen.  However, should the queen die, then one of the secondary queens will assume the egg laying to assure the survival of the nest.

Nests consist of a single layer of paper like comb with the cells opening downward.    This comb remains naked and a single egg is laid in each cell where the developing larva is fed primarily protein from insect prey through the open cell. The cell is capped when the larva is ready to pupate.  Nests may contain up to  about 150-250 cells.

The comb is usually supported by a branch, twig, or horizontal surface which may cause concern when ornamental shrubs and hedges are being trimmed or fruit is being picked from trees.  If a nest is contacted, there is a high probability that the person doing the trimming or picking will get stung. Paper wasps also like to hang their comb nest from porch ceilings, the top of windows, door frames, soffits, eaves, attic rafters, deck floor joists and railings.  The comb is hung by a single long pedicel, which aids in the defense of the nest by predators such as ants.

Yellow jackets receive their common name from their typical black and yellow color pattern.

Workers are about 3/8-5/8" long depending on the species.  Queens are about 25% longer.  Their abdomen is usually banded with yellow and black, several species with white and black.

Yellowjackets are social insects and live in nests or colonies.  The adults are represented by workers which are sterile females, queens, and males which come from unfertilized eggs and usually appear in late summer. 

A nest usually varies in size and may contain from 1000 to 4000 workers at its peak.  The queen will usually select either a subterranean or aerial nesting site.  Those nesting in the ground typically select areas of bare vegetation or else clear an area around the entrance. 

Yellowjackets are slow to sting unless the nest entrance is approached and then they become quite aggressive.  Each can sting a number of times, inflicting much pain.  Some people become hypersensitive to their stings and future stings may become life threatening.

Yellowjackets are considered beneficial insects because their food consist mostly of various arthropods, often pest species.  However, if their nest is located close to occupied buildings, recreational areas, or within structures, then caution should be taken.

(Insect Information excerpted from the NPCA Field Guide to Structural Pests)