For homeowners, wasps, hornets, and nests can present aggravating and potentially dangerous problems. A large portion of wasp species are considered parasitic, meaning they depend on a host to lay their eggs. Bees and wasps are closely related, and are often mistaken for one another. Despite being pegged as having a painful and venomous sting, there are a number of wasp species that don’t. Wasps are categorized based on their nesting habits, which are either social or solitary in nature.
Solitary adult wasps are fertile, but live independent of a colony. In fact, many refrain from building their own nest. On the other hand, social wasps build nests and live in colonies of other wasps, which often number in the thousands. While solitary adult wasps are fertile, not all members of a social colony are capable of reproduction. In some social wasps’ colonies, much of the nest is composed of sterile female workers, meaning only the wasp queen and males can reproduce.
How wasps create their nests and where they choose to build them depends on the species. Social wasps, for instance, develop paper pulp nests in trees, attics, and holes in the ground. Safe, sheltered areas that provide easy outside access are most commonly chosen. Solitary wasps, on the other hand are either parasitic or predatory. Predatory solitary wasps are the only solitary species that construct nests, which can usually be found on the sides of walls.
Growing up to 2.2 inches in length, hornets are the largest species of wasps. Fertilized female queens create nests in spring, usually choosing safe and secure areas. Nests can house a large number of hornets. In late summer, when nests are fully populated, a single colony can be comprised of as many as 700 worker hornets – the lifespans of which vary. Male hornets die a short time after mating, and worker hornets and non-fertile queens last until late autumn at the most. The fertilized queen is the only member of the colony that persists through the winter.
Stings from hornets and wasps are typically painful, and can incite allergic reactions which can result in death in extreme instances. Unlike worker honey bees, wasps and hornets can sting numerous times without dying, as well as bite and sting simultaneously. Like social wasp species, hornets are able to rally their colonies to sting in an act of defense. Naturally, this is extremely dangerous to humans, especially those who are allergic. If possible, it’s best to not kill a hornet within proximity of its nest, as that can provoke an attack from the entire colony.
At Patton Termite & Pest, our goal is to help Wichita, Kansas and Derby, Kansas residents protect their homes from various pest infestations. We offer guaranteed solutions to hornet and wasp infestation, and provide information to customers that will help them modify their homes and avoid future issues. Our team delivers a variety of Premium Residential Solutions and Commercial Services, from exterior power spray and baiting, rodent removal, to services for homes’ interior areas of concern. Additionally, we follow-up on our work to ensure we’ve successfully resolved the problem.
We employ state-of-the-art methods and over 7 ½ decades of experience to deliver skilled remediation services to Wichita, Kansas and Derby, Kansas home and business owners. You can depend on us for workable commercial and residential solutions to keep your home or business’s environment sanitary and safe.
Are wasps or hornets bugging you? Give Patton Termite and Pest a call at 316-773-3825 or use our web contact form.