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Wasps are beneficial to the environment because they help pollinate plants and eat other insects. However, wasps can become a nuisance if they build their nests too close to human habitation. They pack painful stings and can build their nests on tree branches around the house, underground, and in your home’s wall cavities. At Pest Trappers, we are wasp removal experts in San Antonio. Trust pest control services that know what they are doing and will not overcharge for treatments of flying insects. Let us identify the wasp species and take care of the problem.
The three most common types of wasps in North America are paper wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets. Paper wasps are the most docile and are not known to be aggressive unless provoked. Yellowjackets are more aggressive and are known to sting people who come too close to their nests. Finally, Hornets are the most aggressive type of wasp, and their stings can be excruciating. They will aggressively defend their nest, from small wasp nests to large, they are going to defend it.
From the common wasps in San Antonio, to the uncommon, from social wasps to the solitary wasps, we are going to cover many species below. Some create a pest problem, and other most common species of solitary wasps are great company to have around, such as a cicada killer, or a mud dauber.
The scientific name for the paper wasp is Polistes sp. and belongs to the order Hymenoptera.
Paper wasps are narrow-waisted, with smoky black wings that measure 3/4 to 1 inch long. The color of the body varies among species: Polistes exclamans has brown markings with bands on the abdomen; Polistes carolina is a reddish-brown wasp. Yellowjackets and baldfaced hornets should not be confused with paper wasps.
Paper wasps are social insects with three castes, workers, queens, and males. Queens, which resemble unskilled workers, overwinter in secure locations such as cracks and crevices in buildings or beneath tree bark. They choose a nesting site in the spring and begin to construct a nest. Eggs are deposited singly in cells that later hatch into legless grub-like larvae that go through several instars (stages) before pupating. Cells remain open until the larva matures into a pupa. Assistants to the queen include worker wasps that defend the colony from intruders and feed young. A mature paper wasp nest generally has around 25 or so adult wasps. However, in late summer, the queen will stop laying eggs, and the colony will start to decline. In the fall, female offspring who have mated will look for overwintering sites. The rest of the wasp colony does not survive winter.
Paper Wasps build their nest from wood, paper, or other cellulose material. The wasps chew up the material and form hexagonal-shaped cells. The cells are used to store food and to house the wasps’ larvae. The nest will always be facing downward and will be suspended by a single thread.
Paper Wasps are predators of other insects. They will eat any type of insect, but their favorites seem to be caterpillars, flies, and beetle larvae.
Paper wasps will give a painful sting if they feel threatened. Interestingly, the wasp stinger is a modified egg-laying structure (ovipositor) and is only present in females. Males are incapable of stinging! As opposed to honey bees, the paper wasp can sting multiple times because their stinger is not barbed like the honey bees. So they do not leave the stinger in, just the venom injection.
The yellow jacket wasp, scientifically called Vespula squamosa, is a wasp found in North America. It is also known as the southern yellow jacket or simply the yellow jacket.
Workers are about 1/2 inch long with transparent wings. The head, thorax, and abdomen are black with yellow markings. The body of southern yellowjackets is hair-free.
A queen is the only wasp that can start a new colony. She is very large and mostly orange. After eating nectar and bugs in the spring, her ovaries grow. Then she looks for a place to build a nest. The nest will have around 30 cells in it, and the queen will lay eggs. Those eggs will turn into larvae, which she will feed nectar and bugs until they turn into adult workers. After the number of worker wasps rises, the queen no longer departs the colony. Up to several thousand workers can be found in a colony. In the late summer, workers create larger reproductive cells in which male and female wasps are generated. They flee from the nest after emerging and mating. Queens then seek hibernation sites so they can repeat the process next year.
Yellowjackets construct their nests from chewed vegetable fiber instead of the wood used for paper wasps. The cells are arranged in a series of horizontal layers, each consisting of a single row of cells. There can be several layers in a nest, with each layer containing up to 400 cells. The outermost layer of the nest is composed of tough, waterproof material that protects the inner layers from the weather. As a result, the yellow jacket nest can become very large, sometimes even surviving and growing for several years!
Yellow Jackets are omnivores, meaning they will eat both plants and animals. A large part of the yellow jacket diet consists of insects, which they capture and take back to their wasp nests to feed their young. These wasps are also attracted to sweet foods, such as fruits, fruit juices, and meats.
Yes, yellow jackets are capable of stinging. They can also sting multiple times. The painful stinger of the yellow jacket is located at the end of the abdomen and is used to inject a painful venom into prey or predators. The venom is painful and can cause allergic reactions in some people.
The Bald-faced hornet, scientifically called Dolichovespula maculata, is a wasp found in North America. Being the only hornet in San Antonio, Texas, it is more closely related to a yellow jacket than a hornet, with a sting just as nasty.
Baldfaced hornets are large (3/4 inch long), black, and have white markings on their heads and abdomens. Their front wings are folded when they are at rest. They build nests out of paper that are shaped like pears. These nests can be up to 3 feet long. The nests have two to four combs and an entrance hole at the bottom.
Bald-faced hornets build nests. A colony has a queen, 200-400 workers, eggs, larvae, and pupae. The queen bald faced hornet lays eggs in cells in the nest. Workers feed the hatched larvae. Larvae develop through several stages before pupating. During larval development, cells are left open but capped by workers when the larvae pupate. Female wasps or queens that have mated overwinter in protected areas such as cracks and crevices before starting a new colony of hornets the following spring.
The bald-faced hornet’s nest is made from chewed wood and other plant material, which the wasps use to construct a paper-like material. Their favorite type of wood is old and weathered, such as old privacy fences. The nests are usually located in trees but can also be found on the sides of buildings.
Bald-faced hornets are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both plants and animals. A large part of their diet consists of sweets, such as overripe fruit, and insects, which they capture and take back to their nests to feed their young.
Bald-faced hornets are capable of stinging but will only do so if they feel threatened. The sting is located at the end of the abdomen and is used to inject venom into prey or predators. The venom is not only super painful but can also cause allergic reactions in some people. In severe cases, one sting can even be fatal.
Solitary Wasps are wasps that typically live alone. An example of a common one you might see in San Antonio would be a mud dauber. You might find mud nests from the infamous mud daubers, or dirt daubers, as some call them. You might also find huge wasps coming out of the ground with a pile of dirt around them. Those would be cicada killers or digger wasps. These wasps feed on cicadas, it is an amazing site.
These types of wasps are beneficial and hardly ever aggressive species. These wasps tend to focus on doing their job and barely cause a need for pest control services in San Antonio. Mud daubers can signify that you have a black widow spider problem, which can be a sign of other issues. If you are concerned about a wasp or bee stings, call us to take care of it!
Wasp stings can be dangerous because they can cause anaphylactic shock in some people. This severe allergic reaction can occur when the body overreacts to a foreign substance, such as venom. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock from a bee or wasp sting include difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, and dizziness.
Several signs might indicate you have a wasp problem:
- You find wasp nests on your property
- You see wasps flying around your home or business
- You find wasps inside your home or business
- You or someone in your family gets stung by a wasp
If you see any of these signs, you must immediately call a professional wasp removal service such as Pest Trappers San Antonio Pest Control. Wasps can be dangerous, and an infestation can quickly get out of control.
There are a few things you can do to prevent wasps from entering your home:
-Keep food and garbage adequately stored and sealed
-Keep your yard and garden clean and free of debris
-Repair any and all cracks or holes in your home’s exterior
-Use wasp-proof screens on your windows and doors
-Use wasp traps to catch and remove wasps from your property
And of course, the best method is to have a regular San Antonio Pest Control Service from Pest Trappers LLC.
There are a couple of things you can do to get rid of wasps:
- Use a wasp spray: You can buy wasp spray at most hardware stores. Be sure to follow all precautions and the instructions on the label.
- Call a professional: If you’re not comfortable dealing with wasps, you can always call a professional wasp removal service.
Pest Trappers LLC is a professional pest control company that specializes in wasp removal. We have the experience and knowledge to safely and effectively remove wasps from your property. Contact us today to schedule a free quote.
The best wasp removal and wasp control methods depend on the specific situation. Some methods include:
- Using traps to catch and remove wasps
- Spraying wasp nests with insecticide
- Hiring a professional exterminator like us for wasp removal services
- Avoiding wasp attractants like sweet food and drinks
Whatever method you choose, it’s important to be careful and avoid getting stung. Wear protective clothing if possible. Stinging Wasps removal in San Antonio, just like bee removal in San Antonio, should be left to a professional exterminator such as Pest Trappers. We have the training, certifications, insurance, and most importantly, the daily experience of dealing with wasp and bee removal. Stinging insects such as these can cause severe pain and possibly worse. So if you see lots of wasp activity, call the San Antonio pest control experts at Pest Trappers. Let us handle these aggressive species of pests. We can get rid of wasps fast and safe.
Many things, depending on the type of wasp. From flowering plants, to hummingbird feeders, to trash and other pests. Your garbage might have leftover food, such as fish or other meat that will attract wasps, just as large insect populations of things the wasp might hunt and eat. If you don't get regular pest control in San Antonio, you will find new nests around your property. When they find a good spot for building nests and a food and water source is near, nothing will stop them.
The most common mistakes made when attempting to remove or control wasps are:
- Not identifying the type of wasp
- Not eliminating the entire nest
- Not using the proper removal techniques
- Not taking precautions to prevent wasps from returning
Wasp nests can be a serious problem if they’re not removed properly. If you find a wasp nest on your San Antonio property, it’s important to call a professional wasp removal service. Removing a wasp nest on your own can be dangerous and is not recommended. Instead, give Pest Trappers a call for pest control services to take care of these pests for you, so next year there might not be so many colonies. We even offer same-day service in the San Antonio area when available.
