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Wasps

Your Local Wasp Control Experts

Serving Suffolk County | Nassau County | Long Island | Queens

Wasps in Long Island are some of the worst pests to deal with. Their stinging can cause mild discomfort to severe allergic reactions. They have a reputation for sending people to the emergency room. 

Did You Know: The terms hornet and wasp are a general name for species of that family. For example, yellowjackets are a specific breed of wasp. Yellowjackets exhibit the classic look we picture when we think of wasps, yellow and black markings, and banding with a waist. Hornets, on the other hand, are large but look similar to yellowjackets. Wasps vary from social to solitary, while hornets are sociable and very aggressive.

There are various types of stinging insects. Below is the most common aggressive stinging insects encountered during the Summer according to the National Pest Management Association.

Protect Your Family and Friends from Wasps
 
 
Yellowjacket-1

Yellowjackets

  • Size: ½ to 1 inch
  • Characteristics: Abdomen usually black and yellow pattered similar to bands.
  • Legs: 6
  • Habitat: Paper carton nests made up of chewed cellulose found in the ground, trees, buildings, eaves, or attics. Yellowjackets feed on sweets and proteins.
  • Habits: Social insects that live in colonies with up to 4,000 workers. Most active and aggressive in late summer when colony populations peak.
  •  They are slow to sting unless their nest is threatened, in which case they will become highly aggressive. Unlike bees, yellowjackets can sting several times and inflict severe pain.
Paper Wasp

Paper Wasps

  • Size: 5/8 – 3/4 inch
  • Characteristics: Brownish or reddish with yellow markings
  • Legs: 6

    Habits:
    • Moderately aggressive wasps.
    • Eat nectar and other insects, including flies and caterpillars.
    • Female wasps will help each other build nests but only one queen will lay eggs.
    Habitat:
  • Paper wasps get their common name from the paper-like material they use to build their nests. The nests are typically made in the shape of an umbrella.
  • These pests build nests on twigs and in tree branches and shrubs, as well as porch ceilings, eaves and similar covered places.
  • Paper wasps are capable of stinging more than once and may use alarm pheromones to call for back-up in defending their nest.
bald-faced hornet profile

Bald-Faced Hornets

  • Size: 1/2 – 5/8
  • Characteristics: Bald-faced hornets get their common name because they are largely black in color, with a mostly white face.
  • Legs: 6
     
     
    Habitat: They build nests that are at least three feet off the ground and in exposed locations such as trees, utility poles, overhangs, houses, sheds or other structures. Unlike many other stinging insects, bald-faced hornets do not reuse their nests season after season.
     
    Habits:
    • Typically appears in the late summer months.
    • These social insects live in colonies that can contain between 100 and 400 members at their peak.
    • Known to be a more aggressive stinging insect and will sting when provoked.

    Did You Know: The bald-faced hornet is not actually a hornet. It’s a relative of the yellowjacket and other wasps.

It is NEVER recommended that you try to remove or relocate a wasp or hornet nest on your own. Attempting to remove the nest on your own may aggravate the colony and provoke the hornets to sting. To safely and effectively get rid of bald-faced hornets, it’s highly recommended to seek professional assistance. When these pests sense a threat or perceive their nest to be at risk, they will not hesitate to sting. If you find a nest near public areas, contact a professional hornet/wasp control service for help.