Paper Wasp
Paper wasp is very common in Missouri and South Florida as well as other parts. The name comes from the paper looking material that the wasps use to create nests that are umbrella shaped.
Appearance
The paper wasps measure about ½ and inch to an inch in length when they are adults. They have a brown or black color with yellowing markings. They have wings and the wings are grayish. The wasps’ bodies are narrow and have pinched waists and legs hand distinctively under the body when they take flight.
Life cycle
Every spring marks the start of the life cycle of a paper wasp. The overwintering females get fertilized during this season and they emerge to start building nests. They lay eggs in groups and the larvae hatch and then develop to female workers who help cater to the single queen in the nest. The workers are also responsible for caring for eggs and larvae, increasing the colony size and looking for food.
When summer is almost over, the queen wasp starts producing new queens and males. Unfortunately for the males, mating marks the end of their lives, but the new fertilized queens will then overwinter behind tree barks till spring when they emerge to start the reproduction cycle all over again.
Habits and risks
As far as the environment goes, paper wasps can be very beneficial insects because they help pollinate plants and crops as they feed on pollen and nectar. They also eat a good number of small insects to develop into larvae inside their colonies and this means reducing insect nuisance for you.
These insects chew wood and mix with saliva to crate the paper like material for their nests. The nests are tan and have individually crafted honeycomb cells placed neatly next to one another. The nests are never near the ground and will instead hang on porches, trees, decks, door frames and roof soffits or even or shrubs.
Even though the paper wasp is not an aggressive insect, it has a stinger and can sting when offended as defense of the colony. The stings are venomous and can lead to allergic reactions that are severe in some people often times requiring medical attention to avoid serious consequences.
Prevention and control
Paper wasp is free to choose property to nest on and unfortunately yours can be one of them. To minimize the chances of nest building on your home or property, keep tree barks trimmed and trim any shrubs from house exterior. If you have openings such as chimneys, then consider tight fitting caps and also fix any loose roof shingles and holes on roof lines. Your window and door screens should be remain intact to keep the wasps out and hinder nesting attempts.
Considering that paper wasps will be protective of their nests and colonies, always let trained pest professionals handle invasions on your property. The pest experts are trained and experienced and will manage to remove the wasps safely from your property. Cavity treatment and nest entrance dusting are some of the techniques that can be used by the pest professionals.
Contact us today for a free consultation and we will be at your service.
Are You Ready To Start A Conversation?
Proudly Serving Florida
Proudly Serving New York
Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Westchester
Call for your free estimate today!
877-275-8676
Miami-Dade County: Aventura, Bal Harbour Village, Bay Harbor Islands, Biscayne Park , Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Doral, El Portal, Florida City, Golden Beach, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Homestead, Indian Creek Village, Islandia, Key Biscayne Village, Medley, Miami City, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami Shores Village, Miami Springs, North Bay Village, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-Locka, Palmetto Bay Village, Pinecrest , South Miami, Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, Sweetwater, Virginia Gardens and West Miami.
Broward County: Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Dania Beach, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach, Hollywood Florida, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderdale by the Sea, Lazy Lake, Lighthouse Point, Margate, Miramar, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Sea Ranch Lakes, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Park, Weston and Wilton Manors .
Palm Beach County: West Palm Beach , Boca Raton , Boynton Beach , Delray Beach , Greenacres , Jupiter , Lake Worth , Palm Beach Gardens , Royal Palm Beach and Wellington .
Monroe County: Key Largo , Islamorada , Marathon and Key West.
Ants: Acrobat Ant, Allegheny Mound Ant, Argentine Ant, Big-headed Ant, Carpenter Ant, Citronella Ant, Crazy Ant, Field Ant, Fire Ant, Ghost Ant, Harvester Ant, Little Black Ant, Moisture Ant, Odorous House Ant, Pavement Ant, Pharaoh Ant, Texas Leaf Cutter Ant, Thief Ant, Velvety Tree Ant and White-footed Ant.
Bitings Insects: Bed Bugs, Bird Lice, Cat Flea, House Mosquito, Human Head Lice, Kissing Bug, Pubic Lice and Thrips
Mosquitoes: Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes-Aegypti Mosquito and Culex Mosquito.
Cockroaches: American Cockroach, Asian Cockroach, Australian Cockroach, Brown Banded Cockroach, Cuban Cockroach, Florida Woods Cockroach, German Cockroach, Oriental Cockroach, Smoky Brown Cockroach, Surinam Cockroach and Woods Cockroach.
Flies: Blow Fly and Bottle Fly, Cluster Fly, Crane Fly, Face Fly, Flesh Fly, Fruit Fly, Fungus Gnat, House Fly, Drain Fly and Phorid Fly.
Rodents: Deer Mouse, House Mouse, Norway Rat, Pack Rat, Roof Rat, Vole and White-footed Mouse.
Spiders: Black Widow Spider , Brown Recluse Spider, Cellar Spider, Crab Spider, Domestic House Spider, Funnelweb Spider, Garden Spider, Ground Spider, Hobo Spider, House Spider, Jumping Spider, Spiny-backed Orb Weaver Spider, Tarantula, Wolf Spider and Yellow Sac Spider.
Stinging Pests: Africanized Honeybee, American Dog Tick, Bald-faced Hornet, Bed Bugs, Bird Lice, Bird Mite, Deer Tick, Brown Dog Tick, Bumblebee, Carpenter Bee, Cat Flea, European Hornet, Fire Ant, Honeybee, Human Head Lice, Kissing Bug, Lone Star Tick, Paper Wasp, Scorpion, Soft Tick, Thrips and Yellow Jacket.
Termites: Dampwood Termite, Drywood Termite, Formosan Subterranean Termite and Subterranean Termite.
Ticks and Mites: American Dog Tick, Bird Mite, Black-legged Tick, Brown Dog Tick, Clover Mite, Lone Star Tick and Soft Tick.
Other Pests: American Spider Beetle, Bean Weevil, Cigarette Beetle, Cowpea Weevil, Dried Fruit Beetle, Drugstore Beetle, Foreign Grain Beetles, Indian Meal Moth, Larder Beetle, Mediterranean Flour Moth, Red or Confused Flour Beetle, Rice & Granary Weevils, Sawtoothed & Merchant, Grain Beetles, Shiny Spider Beetle, Cabinet Beetles, Centipedes & Millipedes, Chinch Bugs and Earwigs.