The Identification of Stinging Wasps

Wasp stings are universally unpleasant, whether they lead to swollen bumps or fatal cases of shock. Therefore, wasps are a feared presence in the summer when they show up at barbecues and nest on human dwellings. Fortunately, humans can rest at ease; not all wasps attack and sting people. The real threat comes from social wasps, which live in colonies similar to those of bees and ants.

  1. Yellow Jackets

    • Small size and aggressiveness are traits common to yellow jackets.

      Yellow jackets are small wasps with relatively smooth bodies and dark wings. Their abdomens usually have a distinct yellow and black coloration, hence their name. Yellow jackets are highly defensive social wasps that normally build their nests underground. If the nest is disturbed, not only can an individual wasp sting the threat multiple times, but its mates in the colony are compelled to join in.

    Hornets

    • Hornets are the larger cousins of yellow jackets, which they resemble. However, some hornets can have blue, white, black and orange markings not found on yellow jackets. Hornets are social wasps that build papery nests in high places. They pose a threat to anyone who wanders too close to one of their nests. However, they are not inclined to sting without provocation.

    Paper Wasps

    • Disturbing a nest can lead to an attack from multiple wasps, which is dangerous even for those with no sting allergies.

      Paper wasps get their name from the wood fiber nests they build. Their nests are similar to those of hornets but are not fully enclosed. Like hornets and yellow jackets, paper wasps are fierce defenders of their colonies. Paper wasps are only semi-social and will leave the nest near the beginning of the fall. Solitary paper wasps are less aggressive than colonized wasps.

    Harmless Wasps

    • Solitary wasps and hunting wasps do not purposefully sting humans. These tend to fly low and build nests from mud and clay. They use their stingers to paralyze spiders and insects, which they carry back to their nests and lay eggs in. The larvae eat the spider and insect bodies when they hatch. Because solitary wasps work alone, they aren't as defensive as the social wasps and can't attack in large groups when threatened.