Appearance:
Paper wasps are reddish-orange to dark brown or black in color. They have yellowish markings on the abdomen. Paper wasps are long and slender with a narrow waist and a pear-shaped abdomen.

Size:
Range from ¾ to 1-inch in length.

Behavior:
Paper wasps are social insects, living in colonies containing workers, queens, and males. Queens emerge during April or May, and build a small paper-like nest attached to a horizontal structure by a thin stem. Colonies are usually founded by one female who dominates the colony and lays most of the eggs. Nests resemble an upside-down umbrella that consists of finely chewed wood fragments and saliva in which the eggs are laid.

Each nest consists of a horizontal tier of six-sided cells, the ends of which are open, exposing the heads of larvae. Larvae at the center are older and get progressively younger toward the edge of the nest. When larvae are ready to pupate, they are covered with silk, eventually emerging as small, fertile female workers.

By late spring, adult workers emerge and begin nest expansion, food foraging, caring for the queen and larvae and defending the nest. Adults feed on nectar, honeydew and juice from ripe fruits. They may also feed on flies that they regurgitate to their young.

Habitat:
Paper wasps nest in windowsills and frames, along eaves, porch ceilings and rafters, hose reels, etc, and in open areas sheltered from the rain. Their presence is most often signaled by the appearance of a nest with workers buzzing around it.

Their nest appears as a round, upside-down paper-like comb like an umbrella, and is attached by a single stalk to a horizontal surface.

Medical significance:
Paper wasps have a lance-like stinger and will readily sting if they feel threatened or are provoked. If approached by a paper wasp, avoid swinging your arms since quick movement often provokes attack, which can produce a painful sting. Also avoid creating loud noises or disturbances near a nest.

If you have a known allergy to bee or wasp stings and get stung, seek medical attention immediately. Those that are hypersensitive to stinging insects should avoid being alone during the peak season of wasp season, which is usually early summer (May) through early October.

Interesting Fact:
Some queens that are unsuccessful at establishing their own nest may join another queen, submitting to her dominance and becoming a worker. Studies have shown that such individuals, called joiners, are most often sisters of the queen.

If the queen dies or is otherwise lost, the most aggressive worker takes over. This worker will then begin laying eggs and continue to dominate all those below her.

Control:
Due to their painful sting, the presence of a Paper wasp nest or nests near a home or business can be problematic. Control of these social wasps, although usually not difficult, has its element of risk in being stung. It is best to conduct control operations on nests at dusk or after dusk to avoid being stung, since most of the paper wasps will have returned to their nest.

If the use of pressurized pesticides must be done during daylight hours, the use of protective equipment, such as gloves, hat, coveralls, etc., will help prevent stings from any airborne wasps. Do not stand directly under the nest when spraying, as it will cause them to drop straight down after contact.

If no Paper wasps are present after being sprayed, the nest can usually be scraped or knocked down after a day or two, and should be discarded so the dead larvae do not attract other pests such as ants.

If you are stung, promptly applying a paste of meat tenderizer with water or vinegar to the stung area will soothe the pain. The meat tenderizer contains the enzyme papain, derived from papaya, breaks down protein, which is why it tenderizes meat. Venom contains proteins, which is probably why this remedy works.

Do you live in Florida and think this wasp may be invading your home or business? Floridabugs.com offers specifically designed pest control treatments to regulate and eliminate these pests! FloridaBugs.com – the finest in Florida pest control.