What You Need to Know About NJ Wasps

Posted on 08.04.11 in Bees, Wasps, Yellow Jackets

Wasps are Mother Nature’s pest control team. Wasps feed on other insects, keeping insect populations in check. Researchers believe there is a predatory wasp for every insect group. U.S. scientists are currently studying the potential impact of importing predatory wasps from China to combat the brown marmorated stink bug (another Chinese import) that is destroying U.S. crops.

Many NJ wasps are solitary, living singly or in pairs and pose little threat to humans. Social wasps, however, live in huge colonies and can be extremely aggressive. If they build their nests in residential areas or local parks, social wasps can pose a formidable threat to New Jersey residents, warn NJ pest control experts.

According to pest control services NJ, these 3 wasp species pose the biggest threat:

• Paper wasps build distinctive single-layer paper combs under building eaves and between the branches of trees and shrub. Combs hang from a single stalk resembling upside-down umbrellas. Paper wasps are yellow and brown-striped with slender, 1-inch long bodies, narrow waists and trailing legs. Aggressive defenders, they can be a problem when combs are built near doorways.

• Yellowjackets present the biggest risk to human safety. These highly-aggressive wasps live in huge underground colonies and may attack en masse and without provocation. From 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, they are named for the distinct yellow and black stripes on their abdomen. Yellowjackets supplement their insect diet with proteins and sugars scavenged from trash receptacles, making them a persistent nuisance at parks, picnics and outdoor events.

• Hornets are the largest NJ wasp species. They build large, football-shaped, paper nests that hang from tree branches. One to 1 1/2 inches long with brown and orange stripes, hornets are aggressive and have a painful sting.

Wasps are very aggressive, particularly in late summer; and their removal can be dangerous. If you discover a wasp nest on your property, call a NJ pest control professional, like ChemTec Pest Control, for safe, effective wasp removal.

Tags: New Jersey pest control  |  Wasps  |  Yellow Jackets