Wasp Nest: Signs, Identification, and How to Get Rid of Them
Although humans do not usually welcome wasp nests, wasps are beneficial insects as pollinators and as natural ‘pest control.’ This article shares everything you need to know about wasp nests and getting rid of them.
Most wasp nests are made from brown paper. Foraging wasps create this brown paper by chewing things like plant particles and wood. Wasp nests’ appearance can vary based on the specie that built them; they can be closed or open-faced.
Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped nests that hang from tree branches, shrubs, or eaves of buildings. The nests are constructed from a paper-like material made by chewing wood fibers mixed with saliva.
Yellow jackets construct nests from paper material, similar to paper wasps. However, their nests have a distinctive enclosed structure with multiple layers and a small entrance hole at the bottom.
Bald-faced hornets create large, football-shaped nests that are often attached to trees, utility poles, or structures. The nests are constructed from a grayish-brown papery material and have a single entrance at the bottom.
European hornets create large, papery nests similar to bald-faced hornets. The nests are usually grayish-brown and have a football-shaped or teardrop shape. They have a single entrance at the bottom.