Having stinging insects, such as European paper wasps, around your home presents a hazard, which can render your area unsafe, especially for those who are allergic to insect stings. In fact, a colony of paper wasps can consist of up to 200 winged insects, which increases the risk of being stung by more than one at a time if they become irritated, which can be excruciating. Therefore, if you spot any type of wasp around your home, it is strongly recommended you take the proper precautions to avoid being stung.
What Are European Paper Wasps?
European paper wasps are 1-inch long, wasps that are characterized by their long legs, cinched waist, and elongated yellow and black patterned body, which looks similar to that of a yellow jacket’s and is often why they are often mistaken for them.
This species of wasps, which can be found in many areas throughout the U.S. from Massachusetts to Washington, get their name from their u-shaped paper nests, which can often be found hanging in protected areas, such as wall crevices, attics, under light fixtures, the underside of roofs and other outdoor structures, as well as under tree branches and vines. However, they have also occasionally been known to build their nests under idly parked outdoor equipment, such as grills, and even cars and boats.
The queen usually builds a new nest each spring, or she may choose to reoccupy a previously built nest, in which case the colony will be established earlier that spring. A European paper wasp colony consists of one queen and various workers whose job it is to build the nest, gather food, and protect the nest. Meanwhile, it is the queen’s job to lay eggs to fuel the worker count, which if the right conditions are present, will hatch in several days and become full adults within 40 days.
Are European Paper Wasps Dangerous?
Though European paper wasps are generally non-aggressive overall, they will attack if they are agitated or disturbed or you get too close to their nest, which can be difficult to avoid if a nest has been built over an entryway or in other places where people frequent and result in someone being unexpectedly stung.
Any motion within 20 feet of the nest can be sensed by the wasps; however, they usually only attack if you are within inches of their dwelling.
Treating Your European Paper Wasp Problem
The first step to deterring paper wasps from building nests around your property is to seal any gaps, holes, or openings in the walls as well as any cracks, gaps, and spaces on the underside of the roof and other architectural structures.
In the meantime, if you must, it is best to knock down any nests during the night when the colony is inactive. Furthermore, eliminating queens before they have a chance to lay their eggs helps prevent workers from being produced, which will help safeguard your property from becoming heavily populated with wasps.
In either case, dealing with wasps on your own can be risky; however, our technicians are professionally trained to deal with paper wasps effectively and safely. In fact, they provide various services designed especially for ridding paper wasps using specially formulated insecticides to insecticidal dust that can be applied to openings and voids to help destroy the colony. They also provide yearly inspections to help keep the wasps from returning.