There are thousands of wasp species around the world, and not all of them are social insects. Some wasp species will live on their own, and they pose no threat to homeowners. Most of the trouble caused by wasps comes from the social species, which live in large colonies.

Social wasp nests

Different social wasp species will build their nests in different locations. However, these locations do have certain features in common – they are hidden and they are protected from the elements. Some species will build their nests inside tree or rock crevices, while others will build them underground. Some will even use elements of the home as a suitable nesting area, elements such as the eave.

Whatever location they choose, all nests start with a single queen, which emerges out of its winter hibernation in the spring. Like new ant and termite queens, the wasp queen will build the nest by herself at first, and it will use a malleable pulp that it creates out of wood mixed with its own saliva. The queen will then lay eggs in the cells that it created for the nest. These eggs will hatch, and the queen will feed the larvae to maturity. Once the worker wasps are fully grown, they will take over all the duties of maintaining the colony, and the queen will focus on laying eggs for as long as the nest remains active.

The nest will continue growing both in size and numbers from there. Workers will use the same pulp material as the queen, and the complexity and size of the nest will depend on the species that is building them.

Solitary wasp nests

Solitary species on the other hand will mostly build their nests in the ground, or in small holes or crevices that they may have found during their exploration. Most solitary wasp species are not considered pests, but their nests can sometimes be dangerous when they are underground, and you step on them or mow over them.

How to remove a wasp nest

If you spot a wasp nest on your property, it’s important to get it removed as fast as possible. To do this, you will need the help of a pro, since wasps will be extremely aggressive whenever their nests are threatened. Contact us today if you have any questions about wasps or if you have a wasp infestation on your property, and we will gladly help you out.