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Murder hornets may hit the headlines for their terrifying name, but they’re not in Texas. So let’s talk about wasps and hornets and precautions you can take to avoid stings.
All wasps and hornets are beneficial, said Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Entomologist, Austin. Homeowners know they protect gardens and landscapes from pests like caterpillars, spiders, and aphids, and they pollinate flowering plants, but a sudden sting can quickly destroy that goodwill.
Brown said wasps and hornets are focused on building nests and raising young in any naturally occurring location or man-made structure that provides protection from the elements such as the eaves of buildings, bushes and trees.
Wasps and hornets are usually not aggressive when foraging around flowers or a trash can, Brown said. Hence, it is best to stay calm and avoid aggressive movements on them. However, certain species are very protective of their nests.
“If nests are in an area that will not be disturbed, they are usually not a problem,” she said. “They become a problem when they protect their nests and babies, so a nest on the doorstep or on your children’s play set would be a problem.”
Brown said other places like dog houses and mailboxes are some places homeowners should watch out for nests. If hornets or wasps regularly fly around a certain location, chances are a nest may be present or under construction.
Yellow jackets are small in size with black and yellow banded markings. They are often misidentified because other species, such as certain paper wasps, have similar red-brown bodies with yellow stripes. A large ground-dwelling species known as the cicada killer wasp also has yellow and black banded markings, but can grow up to two inches long.
The size of the cicada killer wasp has led it to be mistakenly identified as a murder hornet or giant Asian hornet, which has not been officially spotted outside of Washington state.
Species of wasps and hornets display a range of aggression when it comes to assault, Brown said. Yellow vests are very protective of their colony and can attack if their nest is threatened, including vibration from mowing. Mud stains, on the other hand, are very docile and usually only sting if handled roughly.
Only female wasps and hornets sting, Brown said. The sting is a modified egg-laying structure called the ovipositor. But males of some species, such as the cicada killer wasp, show more territorial aggression towards an intruder than females even though they are unable to sting.
Brown said paper wasps are probably the most common wasps people encounter across Texas. They usually build open paper nests in mid-air and can be aggressive when their home is disrupted. Nests are single-ply and hang on a single stem.
“If you see an open nest made of paper-like material on the eaves of your house or on the ceiling of your porch, there’s a good chance it’s paper wasps,” she said.
The type of nest structure and its location can provide helpful clues as to which species are present.
Yellow Jackets, for example, build paper nests from chewed wood fiber like paper wasps, but build colonies with a single entry and are most commonly found in cavities or underground spaces such as abandoned rodent burrows.
Mud glue, on the other hand, collects moist soil and builds a structure that provides them with food and lay their eggs. You can build these nests relatively anywhere protected from rain. Once they fill the structure with eggs and food like spiders, they seal the nest and leave.
Cicada killer wasps dig into the ground to nest. They are usually solitary but share a single entry in the ground that leads to multiple nurseries for oviposition.
“Wasps and hornets are fascinating animals,” said Brown. “It is easy to take for granted the good they do in our home because we are afraid of being stung. But by learning what they do and how the different species behave, it takes a lot of fear and helps you appreciate it. “
Wasps and hornets come in different shapes and sizes. AgriLife Extension and the Texas Apiary Inspection Service have excellent resources for identifying specific species based on eyesight and behavior. Also, a recent “Bugs by the Yard” podcast with Brown and other AgriLife Extension entomologists covers wasps you may encounter across the state.
Fight wasps in the house
It is relatively easy to keep track of wasps and hornets in your home – kill the wasps and remove the nest. But the type and size of the nest will determine whether you can do it yourself or call professionals.
“A nest of mud that is a thorn in the side of your home could be scraped off and washed,” she said. “The same goes for paper wasp nests, but you need to spray the wasps from a safe distance beforehand. Spray them early in the morning or just before dark so you will catch the most wasps. After removing the nest, clean the room thoroughly to remove any pheromones that may attract other wasps to this place. “
Brown recommends using a spray pesticide that can shoot a concentrated stream of 2 to 10 feet when removing stinging species like paper wasps.
Yellow vests and hornets, especially in established colonies, should be treated by professionals, Brown said.
“Earlier in the season when the nests are smaller, removing them might be something for DIY enthusiasts, but when they’re really active removing them without protective clothing and special equipment can be a dangerous situation.”
Brown said because yellow vests and hornets can be very aggressive in protecting their nests and can sting multiple times, finding shelter in a protected, enclosed area is the only way to avoid stings. Common swarm scenarios include a homeowner mowing their lawn and unwittingly alerting the colony with vibrations, or a farmer mowing hay and walking across an underground colony.
“I would only recommend it to anyone who constantly sees any type of flying insect in a particular location that may be a cause for concern – be it around children or your pet, or in a place where you could bother them worth taking a look at what you’re dealing with. Be careful and calm and don’t get too close, but knowing which insect you have could help you determine the next step. “
– Shaniqua Davis is the Agriculture and Natural Resource Expansion Agent for Gregg County. Email: Shaniqua.Davis@ag.tamu.edu.
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