Paper Wasp
Common Name
Scientific Name
Northern Paper Wasp
Polistes fuscatus pallipes
Dominulus Paper Wasp
Polistes dominulus
Identification:
Paper Wasps have narrow waits, slender bodies, long legs, and measure up to 1 inch in length. They have smoky black wings, they are reddish-orange to dark brown or black in color, and have yellow marking on their abdomen. This type of wasp is commonly confused with Yellowjackets and Bald Face Hornets.
Biology:
The Paper Wasps are semi-social, meaning they created nests of colonies with different castes including, workers, queens, and males. The queen’s main function is to lay eggs to make the colony larger. In late summer the last set of fertilized females (queens) will find an overwinter site in a protected habitat such as a crack or crevice in a structure, under tree bark, or in attics or garages. In the spring the queen will emerge and she will select a nesting site. She will lay her eggs singly in cells and the eggs will hatch into white legless/wingless larvae.
During the time of maturity the workers are to tend to the young, build the nest, and protect the nest. Once the larvae have gone though several instars (moltings) they will paupate. After a few weeks the new adult worker wasps will come out of their cocoon and the process will begin again. At one time a nest can have 20 to 30 adult workers. In late summer the queen stops laying eggs, and in the fall the fertilized females (new queens) will find an overwintering site. The remainder of the colony will soon die off due to the onset of cold weather.
Habits:
Paper Wasps have become a common nuisance in Ohio by creating nests in places where people live, work, and play. Although wasps seem aggressive, they are not, the only time they will become aggressive is when they are protecting the nest. They are attracted to sweet smelling, and brightly colored objects. When observing a nest it is important to not make any sudden movements, swatting motions, or loud noises, this will disturb the nest and possibly set you up to be stung. Some common areas one may find a Paper Wasp nest is in window sills, attic rafters, garages, along eves, or any open area that is protected from rain. When identifying a Paper Wasp nest look for a nest shaped like a tiny umbrella suspended by a short stem, with a horizontal layer or "tier" of circular comb of hexagonal cells not enclosed by a paper-like envelope, when looking inside one would see the heads of the larvae being developed.
