Wasps and Their Control

Wasps are members of the order Hymenoptera, a group that also includes ants and bees. There are approximately 25,000 species of wasps, of which many are beneficial either as pollinators or because they parasitize or prey upon harmful insects. Only a few wasp species are significant pests in the Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas Metropolitan area.

Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets wasps are approximately one-half to three-quarters of an inch in length and have very distinctive black and yellow coloration. They are social insects who live in large colonies with well-defined roles.

In warmer climates like Texas, it's not unusual for yellow jacket colonies to survive for several years, and their numbers can reach several thousand. They are primarily carnivorous, eating other insects and scavenging for animal carcasses; but they also will seek nectar and other sugary fluids.

In nature, yellow jackets usually build their nests either underground or in hollow trees or other naturally-occurring voids. But they also will build nests in structural voids of buildings, roof soffits, crawl spaces, playground equipment, and pretty much any other hollow object they can find. Very often, the actual nest is located several feet away from the entry hole, making extermination a challenge.

Yellow jackets are fairly aggressive and are capable of inflicting multiple, painful stings. They may attack if approached or if the colony is threatened, making yellow jacket control a job for trained, professional exterminators. Control is usually accomplished by finding and directly treating the nests, but trapping and non-repellent insecticides also are sometimes used.

Baldfaced Hornets

Baldfaced hornets are among the most aggressive of all wasps. These stocky insects are predominantly black with white or pale yellow markings, and build paper nests that can contain hundreds or sometimes thousands of individuals.

When threatened (or, some would say, "even if you look and them funny") they often attack en masse, with almost all of the members of the colony immediately zoning in on the individual or animal who had the audacity to get too close to their nest. The resulting stings are excruciatingly painful, and multiple stings inflicted during such an attack can require medical care even for a person who is not particularly sensitive to insects stings.

If there is any insect that an average person should not attempt to control themselves, that would be the baldfaced hornet. Even professional exterminators treat these aggressive wasps with respect. Control is usually achieved by the application of insecticides directly into the nests, using specialized equipment and protective clothing.

Polistes Wasps (Paper Wasps)

Paper wasps construct nests of paper that they manufacture themselves. They commonly build nests on window and door frames, in hollow metal fence posts and PVC furniture, and on playground equipment.

Paper wasps are less aggressive than most other wasps and are somewhat beneficial to agriculture because they feed upon several harmful pest species. But they are capable of inflicting multiple stings if threatened, and they sometimes become a nuisance when they nest around homes, recreational facilities, or other occupied areas.

Control of paper wasps is usually accomplished by physical removal of the nests and the application of a residual insecticide product to prevent reinfestation.

Cicada Killers

Cicada killers are among the largest of wasp species, often reaching lengths of one and a half inches. Females build their nests in sandy soil, often defacing lawns with their unsightly holes. They then go out and find a cicada, paralyze it, drag it down into the burrow, and lay an egg on or nearby the cicada's body. When the egg hatches, the larva will eat the cicada from the inside out until only the shell remains, and then will go into pupation, which usually occurs over the winter. As adults, cicada killers feed exclusively on fruit nectar. Only the larva eat cicadas.

Although many female cicada killers may build nests in the same general area, cicada killers are solitary wasps. They don't cooperate with each other; they just happen to live in the same neighborhood. Although the females are capable of stinging, they rarely do so. Male cicada killers are much more aggressive and will sometimes "attack" humans or animals who get too close. But it's all just a show, because the males have no stingers. The worst they can do is head-butt you.

The best control for cicada killers is a well-maintained, well-fertilized, well-watered lawn, which can sometimes eliminate cicada killer problems in one or two seasons. Severe infestations, however, may require chemical treatment.