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Yellow Jackets Vs. Paper Wasps In West Virginia
8/9/13
During the summer months there is an increase in insect activity, this includes the amount of stinging insects seen buzzing around your property. There are a large variety of species of stinging insects that can be found in West Virginia and Western Maryland and some are more aggressive and pose much more of a threat than others. Two types of stinging insects that can be aggressive and inflict dangerous stings to people and their pets are yellow jackets and paper wasps.
Both of these are predatory species and outdoors will feed on a variety of insects. Paper wasps and yellow jackets can both deliver powerful stings with a single insect being capable of stinging multiple times. Their venom can cause mild to severe allergic reactions leading to death in some individuals; because of this it is important that these insects are controlled and any problems with them on your property should be handled by professionals trained in stinging insect control.
While paper wasps and yellow jackets have many similarities they are two different species and have differences in appearance, behavior and nesting areas. The descriptions below should be able to help you determine whether you are dealing with yellow jackets vs. paper wasps on your property.
Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets are a social insect that live in large colonies with thousands of members. The queen is the only member of the colony that overwinters, in the spring she will emerge to build the nest and lays her eggs; once they larvae hatch and mature the colony quickly expands to large numbers. Yellow jacket workers are the members of the colony that you will most likely come into contact with, they are about ½ of an inch in length, short and stocky, black with bright yellow markings. The nest of this species is usually built near the ground but can be seen in hanging in trees and if built indoors will be found in wall voids and attic spaces.
Paper Wasps
Paper wasps are also a social species that live in large colonies; again the queen is the only member to overwinter and will emerge in the spring to build a nest and lay her eggs to start a new colony. Worker paper wasps are a bit bigger ranging in size from ½- 1 in length. They are a dark brown color with yellow markings and have a much more slender body with a distinct pinched waist. Paper wasps build their hanging nests in trees or under roof eaves.
Both of these species can be extremely beneficial to the environment by controlling insect populations and generally can just be left alone. It is only when they build their nests near or on your home or in an area of your yard where there is a lot of activity that control measures should be taken to protect you and your family. If you are having problems with yellow jackets or paper wasps contact your local pest control company today to have the nesting area safely removed from your property, they can also provide you with pest control services to prevent future problems with these stinging insects.
For stinging insect control in Charleston and West Virginia as well as Western Maryland, Ace Exterminators is an ideal choice. In business since 1946, these WV pest control pros have the knowledge and training to safely and efficiently eliminate stinging insect nests and the pests.