Wasp and Hornet Control

Identifying Hornets and Wasps

There are many types of wasps, but they all have a distinct head profile, complete with chewing mouth parts, short elbowed antennae, and large compound eyes. The thorax and abdomen are marked with that signature yellow, red, or brown on a black background. Wasps have four, clear or smoky brown wings and a long stinger. Yellow jacket wasps are commonly marked with bright yellow and black patterns and are about 3/8 to 5/8 inches long. The key to hornet and wasp identification is to remember that hornets are types of wasps. The baldfaced hornet is similar in appearance to a wasp, but white and black in colour and 5/8 to 3/4 inches long. Paper wasps are marked with yellow, brown or red patterns on black and are 5/8 to 3/4 inches long. Remember, if you aren’t sure what types of wasps are plaguing you, you can always turn to Terminix Canada for wasp identification help, as well as wasp and hornet control.

Order/Family

Vespula maculate (Linnaeus) & Polistes spp.

Scientific Name

Hymenoptere/Vespidae

Biology

Social wasps have large nests containing three types of individuals, or castes: queens, workers, and males. Eggs are laid in the cells of the nest, and the young larvae are fed bits of chewed up meat or insect parts by the queen, and later by the workers.

Behaviour

Yellow jackets and hornets build flat paper nests in stacks, which are then surrounded by a paper envelope. Yellow jackets usually build their nests underground and in other veiled locations. Baldfaced hornets prefer to build their nests in trees and on the sides of buildings. Paper wasps build open flat nests, without a paper envelope, usually under the eaves of a house and in other protected locations.

Social wasps use their nests for just one season. The colonies can contain as many as 30,000 individuals. These insects can be beneficial because they feed their young a variety of insects that we consider pests. They become a nuisance when they build nests in or near structures frequented by humans.

Wasp and Hornet Control

Determining where the nesting area is located is critical, but it is recommended to contact a pest control company for wasp and hornet control, as these nests can be large, and their inhabitants, volatile.